By Callum Ludwig
A re-elected Labor Government has promised to deliver neighbourhood batteries in the Baw Baw, Cardinia and Casey council areas in a bid to bring back government-owned energy.
The pledge involves reviving the State Electricity Commission (SEC) and powering the state with cleaner, cheaper renewable electricity to drive bills down while supporting 59,000 Victorian jobs, the government said.
Labor said it would invest $42 million to install 100 neighbourhood batteries across Victoria, tripling the number of homes with access to a battery and providing crucial extra storage capacity for local communities.
Increasing storage capacity would mean more households could reap the rewards of returning surplus solar-generated electricity to the grid through feed-in tariffs. As a result, more households would have access to cheaper renewable energy – even if they don’t have their own solar panels, the government said.
The Victorian Liberals and Nationals had also committed to neighbourhood batteries on Tuesday 1 November, through their Power to the People Plan, where community organisations will be able to access grants of up to $1 million as part of a $100 million Net Zero Renewables Community Projects Fund to install solar panels, big batteries, and other supporting infrastructure.
Under the Power to the People Plan, one million households will be provided with rebates of up to $4400 – $1400 for solar panels and $3000 for home batteries – with rebates doubled for rental properties.
Shadow Minister for Energy and Renewables David Southwick said the Liberals and Nationals’ plan would give households greater control over their power and help cut energy bills.
