Phillip Island Neighbourhood Battery locations announced

9 December 2024

Renewable energy specialist Mondo today confirmed seven locations to install neighbourhood batteries on Phillip Island.

The neighbourhood-scale batteries’ locations were chosen in consultation with the community and will provide additional energy storage capacity for locally generated solar power.

The batteries will be installed at the following locations:

  • Battery 1: Berninneit, 91-97 Thompson Ave, Cowes
  • Battery 2: Kembla Pasadena, 1 Kembla Rd, Cowes
  • Battery 3: Seagrass Everton, Opposite 11 Seagrass Ave, Cowes
  • Battery 4: Goodwood Elvington, Opposite 75 Goodwood Drive, Cowes
  • Battery 5: Recreation Reserve, Cnr Hallway Dr and Hoad St, Wimbledon Heights
  • Battery 6: Bass Coast Shire Council Depot, 105 Settlement Rd, Cowes
  • Battery 7: Katherine Circuit, 50 Katherine Circuit 

Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio visited Phillip Island in March 2024 to announce $2.1 million in State Government funding to install these batteries through the 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Program.

Five of the seven batteries will each store 205 kWh of electricity, which is the amount of energy used by 11 houses for 24 hours.

Two of these batteries will each have a storage capacity of 410 kWh to accommodate larger transformers and a high density of solar installations. 

Mondo General Manager, Dhammika Adihetty said neighbourhood-scale batteries will play an important role as we shift more renewable energy into the electricity grid.

“Typically, these batteries will charge during the day when the renewable energy from solar panels is plentiful, and often the market price for electricity is low. This stored power is then released back to the grid when demand for power is at its highest, often in the early evening,” said Mr Adihetty.

The project has been a collaboration between Mondo, the Bass Coast Shire Council, Totally Renewable Phillip Island and the Victorian State Government.

Phillip Island has been an integral part of Mondo’s community energy focus over the past six years. Since 2021 it has invested more than $10 million to install and energise a 5MW/10MWh distribution battery on Phillip Island.

“Mondo is looking forward to continuing to support the Phillip Island community achieve their renewable energy goals,” said Mr Adihetty.

The batteries will be installed from February and fully operational by August 2025.