SwitchedOn Australia

So you want to install a community battery? How Yarra Energy Foundation did it.

8 snips
Mar 25, 2025
Lachlan Hensey, the energy and storage project lead for Yarra Energy Foundation, shares insight into their groundbreaking community battery project in Australia. He discusses the major hurdles they faced, from navigating regulatory complexities to overcoming financial challenges. Lachlan emphasizes the importance of defining the problem before designing a solution and explains how community batteries can stabilize energy and manage surplus solar. The team’s innovative approach offers valuable lessons for others looking to implement similar projects.
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ADVICE

Problem Definition

  • Define the problem you're trying to solve before considering a community battery.
  • Different problems, like grid reliability or solar curtailment, require different solutions.
INSIGHT

Modeling Viability

  • Yarra Energy Foundation used economic modeling to assess the viability of their community battery project.
  • Modeling showed potential viability, giving the team confidence to proceed.
ANECDOTE

Unforeseen Circumstances

  • Yarra Energy Foundation's initial modeling didn't account for unexpected problems or opportunities like the 2022 energy crisis.
  • The energy crisis, while negative overall, created profitable conditions for the battery due to high price volatility.
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