Victoria Expands Community Battery Program to Enhance Local Energy Resilience

Victoria is taking a major step toward its clean energy goals with Round Three of the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative. Backed by $6.6 million, this latest phase will add dozens of community-scale battery systems—empowering more neighborhoods to store renewable energy and tap into it when demand peaks.

How Neighbourhood Battery Storage Supports Clean Energy Resilience

At its heart, this initiative equips communities with the tools to store surplus solar and renewable energy generated during the day—and dispatch it when the grid is under pressure. These systems help:

• Reduce reliance on the main electricity grid

• Improve local energy stability and reliability

• Lower electricity costs for households and shared facilities

Already, nearly 90 battery projects are underway across the state. These installations are making a real difference:

• Households are saving up to $200 a year on power bills

• Critical infrastructure—like schools and community centers—benefits from reliable backup power

• More clean energy is being used locally, reducing dependence on fossil fuels

Expanding Access: What Round Three Brings

Now, with Round Three open, more communities can take part. The program offers up to $400,000 in grant funding per battery, and applicants can propose multiple installations in one submission.

What makes this round especially inclusive is its broad eligibility. Proposals are welcome from:

• Local councils

• Community cooperatives and non-profits

• Educational institutions

• Private businesses working within Victoria

Whether it’s a council seeking energy resilience for emergency shelters or a housing cooperative aiming to cut utility costs for residents, this initiative offers a meaningful opportunity to drive local impact.

Rather than a one-size-fits-all solution, each project is encouraged to reflect the unique needs of its community—making energy storage more flexible, responsive, and accessible.

More Than Power: Strengthening Communities from the Ground Up

The benefits of these neighbourhood batteries go well beyond just savings or backup power. In previous rounds, residents in social housing shared how stored solar energy gave them peace of mind during heatwaves and blackouts. Utilities have reported reduced strain on the grid during high-demand events—thanks to locally stored energy feeding back into the system.

From improved energy equity to increased climate resilience, these batteries are becoming vital infrastructure for a sustainable future.

A Scalable Blueprint for Community-Led Energy Transition

As battery technology becomes more affordable and scalable, Victoria’s Neighbourhood Battery Initiative is emerging as a model for how distributed energy storage can serve both people and planet.

By combining targeted public funding with community-led planning, the state is creating a more inclusive, resilient, and clean energy landscape—one battery, and one neighborhood, at a time.