Earlier this year, Yarra City Council asked the community to share their perceptions and attitudes towards neighbourhood batteries. We’re now undertaking a second round of engagement which will deliver a deeper dive into the community’s views on potential locations for future batteries in Yarra.

In partnership with the Victorian Government, we’ve collaborated with the Cities of Melbourne and Port Phillip to understand ways we can fast-track neighbourhood batteries in inner metropolitan Melbourne.

This initiative aims to assess ways of delivering renewable, clean energy to residents and businesses in Yarra, including those who previously had been unable to access renewable energy. We aim to empower local communities to participate in neighbourhood battery projects.

How do they work?

Neighbourhood batteries ‘soak up’ solar from nearby homes and businesses, and like a household battery, store this energy to be used by the neighbourhood later in the evening.
This means that the energy grid can support more solar, and those in the community who don't have their own solar panels are able to benefit from this shared resource.

What's next?

The three Councils (City of Melbourne, City of Port Phillip and City of Yarra) have been working with the Yarra Energy Foundation (YEF) to identify potential locations from a technical perspective for future neighbourhood batteries.

Across the three councils, a number of areas have been identified for further assessment. These locations were selected because of their potential to generate high levels of solar energy and use the energy the battery would store.

How can you help and find out more?

We now would like to hear from residents, businesses, workers, and visitors to these areas on what they think about possibly having a neighbourhood battery in their community, the kinds of benefits they want to see and ideas for specific locations.

You can participate by completing our online survey on our Your Say Yarra page before 9am on Monday 7 August and also by speaking to us in person at one of our pop-up events.

In person events

Come and have a chat, find out more and provide your feedback on neighbourhood batteries by joining us at one of the following locations:

• Gleadell Street Market in Richmond on Saturday 15 July from 9.30am to 11.30am
• Collingwood Library in Abbotsford on Thursday 20 July from 4pm to 6pm.
• Halls Reserve (north) playground in Clifton Hill on Sunday 23 July from 10.30am to 12.30pm
• Bargoonga Nganjin North Fitzroy Library on Wednesday 26 July from 5.30pm to 7.30pm
• Kathleen Syme Library in Carlton on Friday 28 July from 11am to 2pm

To view the pop-up locations being held within the other 2 city councils, head to City of Port Phillip and City of Melbourne's Your Say pages.