Armidale residents in selected areas can now take advantage of a local energy storage trial, with Essential Energy commissioning seven pole-mounted batteries installed in the region during September.

Resident and renewable energy advocate, Heidi McElnea is encouraging community members to get involved in this opportunity to locally generate, store and use renewable energy without the need to invest in a home battery.

Heidi works with the not-for-profit Community Power Agency, designed to support New England communities through the shift to clean energy.

“To capture and store the energy for when it’s needed later in the day makes a lot of sense,” Heidi says. “It will give residents in the trial area the chance to play a bigger role in shaping the energy future for regional communities.”

Essential Energy has partnered with Origin Energy to understand how to best use batteries on the grid so communities can get the most out of their rooftop solar while being supported through the energy transition.

Essential Energy workers installing pole-mounted batteries in Armidale this week.

Essential Energy’s Head of Commercial Development Andrew Hillsdon says the batteries store excess rooftop solar generated during the day and release it when energy demand is high and solar systems are no longer generating, such as when the sun goes down.

“The use of batteries allows Essential Energy to manage peak demand periods and voltage on our network, especially as solar generation increases. Batteries are a key part of supporting customers and the network through the energy transition,” he says.

Origin Energy’s General Manager of Business Products and Technology, Andrew Cleland says the trial would benefit eligible Armidale households whether they have solar panels or not, or even if they are renting.

“We’re excited to be working with Essential Energy on this latest community battery trial in Armidale. We encourage eligible residents with or without solar panels to sign up and share in the benefits of this trial, which will be delivering energy savings and allow the community to store and utilise excess solar energy when it’s needed,” Andrew says.

For more information about the trial and to find out if you are eligible to take part, visit Origin Energy’s website.

Armidale is one of five regional New South Wales communities chosen for the trial in regional NSW towns, including Port Macquarie, Dubbo, Bathurst, and Wagga Wagga.

L-R Annette Kilarr from Sustainable Living Armidale, Dorothy Robinson who has applied to participate in the trial, and Heidi McElnea from Community Power Agency at the Taylor St battery.