Joint media release: Investing in energy equity for South Australia

The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy

The Hon Josh Wilson MP, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy

The Hon Tom Koutsantonis MP, SA Minister for Energy and Mining

Louise Miller-Frost MP, Member for Boothby

Social housing tenants will get energy bill relief through the storage and timely use of cheaper and cleaner solar energy with the launch of the Edwardstown and Magill Community Batteries today.

While one in three Australian households have already embraced rooftop solar and are accessing cleaner and cheaper energy, fewer than 1 in 40 households have battery storage.

The Community Batteries for Household Solar program is about empowering communities to share in the renewable energy transformation, whether they have rooftop solar or not.

That is why the Albanese Government is rolling out more than 420 community batteries across the country.

The two 405kWh battery energy storage systems, in Edwardstown and Magill, have been installed by the South Australian Department for Energy and Mining.

The first in a fleet of community batteries planned for installation across metropolitan and regional South Australia, these two batteries will see eligible 600 SA Housing Trust households that take part in the exclusive energy plan save around $550 a year through a retail tariff 25% below the Default Market Offer in SA.

Around 10,000 SA Housing Trust tenants will ultimately benefit from the tariff reduction through community batteries.

Work is underway to identify suitable sites across South Australia for more community batteries that have conditional approval granted and agreements pending with ARENA, which is delivering $171 million of the $200 million Community Batteries for Household Solar program.

Comment attributable to Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen MP:

“The rollout of community batteries is vital to making sure that everyone can share the benefits of renewable energy by storing rooftop solar energy during the day and dispatching at night where it’s needed.

“The rain isn’t constantly falling, yet we always have water on tap because it’s stored for when we need it – and batteries like the ones in Edwardstown and Magill will do the same thing for reliable renewable energy.”

Comment attributable to Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson MP:

“Australia has made great progress when it comes to the uptake of home solar PV – but the benefits of that technological leap forward haven’t been experienced by everyone. These two batteries, and future installations, will help share the benefit to the most vulnerable South Australian households.

“The Albanese Government’s Reliable Renewables plan is supporting energy security and grid reliability, while bringing cleaner, cheaper reliable renewable energy to communities across the country right now.”

Comment attributable to Minister for Energy and Mining Tom Koutsantonis MP:

“We are proud to have partnered with the federal government and industry in delivering the first two community batteries at Edwardstown and Magill.

“This partnership means renters living in homes that can’t host solar PV or residential battery storage will be able to share in the benefits offered by renewable energy technologies.

“While empowering SA initially targets low-income and vulnerable families in social housing, when it’s commercially proven, the concept could readily be applied elsewhere.

“With rooftop solar PV installed on more than one in three South Australian homes, our state offers the ideal testbed to prove up the proposition.

“I am grateful that other governments and private businesses share our vision for an equitable energy transition. I’m looking forward to working with public and private sector partners to build on this achievement and get underway with the next phase in implementing that vision.”

Comment attributable to Member for Boothby Louise Miller-Frost MP:

“The Edwardstown Community Battery will bring welcome cost of living relief to those who need it most by cutting power bills for SA Housing Trust tenants.

“As someone with a background in community and social housing, I know this is a practical, real way to help people.”