General Renewable Discussion, page-465

Ausgrid community battery deployments and shared network battery. VPP Virtual Power Plant

Leadtimes - they first announced something like this in Mid 2019 from memory
I haven't looked into actual specs or how many participants but I think they will be swamped and will be very interesting how these batteries would be used in regards to when network is storm damage.

I don't know long term what quarterly charge etc electricity providers will add for access or in regards to pricing or battery power and excess solar generation. Wonder if the battery packs have a large resister in them to burn off excess solar generation they can't pump into grid as will always be a issue of correct sizing and demand

Interesting they are quoted as saying community can store/ share their solar implies for free in battery and then draw down on it. Probably want to read a contract on that.
The media
https://www.ausgrid.com.au/About-Us/News/community-battery-trial

The program

https://www.ausgrid.com.au/In-your-community/Community-Batteries
The first community battery will be in Beacon Hill, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Additional community batteries are planned for the Canterbury Bankstown and Lake Macquarie areas.

Over the next two years Ausgrid will offer customers in identified trial areas, who either have solar power or are about to install solar power, the chance to be part of this innovative program.

The first community battery will be in Beacon Hill, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Additional community batteries are planned for the Canterbury Bankstown and Lake Macquarie areas.

Over the next two years Ausgrid will offer customers in identified trial areas, who either have solar power or are about to install solar power, the chance to be part of this innovative program.

Benefits for participating solar customers

Community batteries can offer a more cost-effective alternative to installing your own battery storage. Some of the benefits include:

Reduced costs:

• No upfront battery installation costs
• No maintenance costs – including risk of battery failure, and
• No need to pay for a new battery at end of life.

Greater choices:

• Customers can be provided with a storage solution for their individual needs
• Customers can ‘flex’ their battery size to suit their changing circumstances
• No space for a battery? No problem! A community battery doesn’t take up space in your garage or on your front porch.

"Community batteries could also offer a flexible alternative to traditional poles and wires investment and can reduce peak demand helping distributors like Ausgrid place downward pressure on energy prices."



The other community shared network battery VPP Virtual power planty was the one where rather than have a containerised version they were just having networked control over residentially stored batteries and could use them when required to support network .

This started March 2019? partnership with Reposit Power then expanded to evergen and shinehub but had only a few battery inverter type approvals? Evergen and shinehub required Alpha ESS or Tesla Powerwall battery and reposit hasd to have their system and controller installed .
https://www.ausgrid.com.au/Industry/Demand-Management/Power2U-Progam/Battery-VPP-Trial