Western Australia's transition towards cleaner energy has taken another significant step forward, with the locations of 18 new community batteries across Perth and Bunbury officially unveiled.
The project, led by Western Power with support from the federal government, is designed to capture excess electricity generated by household rooftop solar systems during the day and redistribute it during periods of peak demand, such as in the evening when families return home.
Construction on the batteries has now commenced, with authorities expecting the installations to improve grid stability while allowing more homes to take advantage of renewable energy.
WA Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said community batteries play an important role in strengthening the state's electricity network.
"Community batteries like this sit on our network and act as shared storage in neighbourhoods," she said. "It soaks up all of that excess solar energy that's produced during the day... and dispatches it out at peak times."
The rollout includes 13 battery sites across metropolitan Perth, which are expected to support around 1,700 households, while five larger batteries in Bunbury will service approximately 3,600 homes.
The initiative forms part of a broader shift in WA's energy landscape. Just a few years ago, grid-scale battery storage did not exist in the state. Today, batteries have become increasingly important as Western Australia manages one of the world's highest rates of rooftop solar adoption.
Federal Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson said the new batteries would complement existing energy infrastructure and help reduce long-term network costs.
The Commonwealth Government has contributed approximately $9.3 million towards the project's $25 million total cost, with Western Power overseeing installation and operation.
Climate advocacy organisation Solutions for Climate WA welcomed the investment but argued that Western Australia should introduce a legislated renewable energy target to provide greater certainty for future investment in the sector.
The Bunbury batteries are expected to be operational by the beginning of summer, while the Perth installations are scheduled to come online by May 2027.
For households across Perth and the South West, the project represents more than just new infrastructure. It reflects the changing nature of Australia's electricity system, where communities are increasingly becoming both consumers and contributors to the nation's renewable energy future.
As WA continues to expand its battery capacity, these neighbourhood-scale storage systems are expected to play a vital role in making the grid more reliable, affordable and resilient for years to come.
