Australia’s peak environment group has congratulated state Energy Minister Ben Wyatt, Western Power, and Synergy on the Powerbank Battery Trial, announced in Meadow Springs on Wednesday.
The trial will provide battery storage and on-demand energy for 52 families in the Mandurah suburb of Meadow Springs.
Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) director Piers Verstegen said the battery storage trial was an innovative solution that would enable households to meet more of their energy needs from renewable energy.
“By coupling solar energy with modern battery technology, we can be well on the way to making polluting and expensive fossil fuels like coal and gas redundant here in WA,” he said.
“Battery storage will enable homes and businesses to use solar energy even when the sun is not shining, and this will help to make energy use cleaner and more affordable.
“Whether it is very large installations like the Tesla battery in South Australia, distributed ‘behind the meter’ batteries installed in homes, or a hybrid approach like Powerbank, the integration of battery storage with existing electricity systems is fast becoming a reality.
“WA has the potential to be a leader in battery technology with ready supplies of lithium and other materials for battery manufacturing, and incredible solar and wind energy resources.
“This is exactly the combination of technology that we need to be embracing here in WA to cut carbon pollution, reduce energy costs and create the new jobs of the future.
“We congratulate the State Government for implementing this trial, and look forward to other battery and renewable power solutions being scaled up in the near future.”
The announcement has come off the back of the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which revealed the city topped the list for solar panel installations in WA.
Only Bundaberg in Queensland has a higher percentage of uptake Australia-wide, the findings also found.
