ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app

April 10, 2025

Community batteries to power ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app research, sustainability

The project will help the University reduce its electricity costs and unlock another income stream

An innovative project is helping organisations install batteries that benefit the community and unlock potential revenue streams.

And the University of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app (ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app) is going to be one of the first to benefit.

The project, which has received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and is being coordinated by Hydro Tasmania’s energy retailer Momentum Energy, will see 10 community batteries installed at the University of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app.

These batteries will have a combined power capacity of 2 MW and a storage duration of two hours. They will be installed across the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app and Innovation campuses, and help to power research laboratories, medical research and teaching facilities.

This project will help the university reduce its electricity costs and unlock another income stream by connecting it to the Hydro Tasmania Virtual Power Plant, allowing excess solar PV or grid energy to be stored and sold into the National Electricity Market when needed.

“We’re excited to partner with the University of ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app and ARENA to deliver this project,” said Momentum Energy Managing Director Lisa Chiba.

Core to this project is the Virtual Power Plant developed by Momentum Energy’s parent company, Hydro Tasmania.

“The electricity grid needs to balance supply and demand at every point in the day. As Australia’s energy system transitions to having more renewables, we see increasing amounts of intermittent power like solar and wind in the grid,” Lisa said.

“Hydro Tasmania’s Virtual Power Plant allows individual energy assets to work together like a traditional power plant and helps them to respond to the demands of the market.”

A Virtual Power Plant turns assets on or off, up or down as needed and can even export power directly into the grid, for example when a battery is discharged.

ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app Interim Vice-Chancellor and President Senior Professor Eileen McLaughlin said the University was committed to playing a leading role in the transition to a cleaner energy future for the Illawarra.

“This project embodies ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app's dedication to sustainability. By turning our own campuses into living laboratories, we can not only reduce our environmental impact but also showcase the practical applications of cutting-edge energy solutions," Professor McLaughlin said.

“In demonstrating the feasibility and value of these technologies firsthand, we hope this project will inspire other businesses and households in the Illawarra to embrace the benefits of clean energy transformation.

“This initiative builds upon ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½app's long history of pioneering energy innovation. From our award-winning Solar Decathlon homes to groundbreaking technologies like the Hysata hydrogen process and the world-renowned research at our Australian Power Quality Research Centre, we consistently prove that energy transformation is not only achievable but also beneficial for our communities and the planet.”

Recognising the importance of virtual power plants to the clean energy transition, Hydro Tasmania received funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as part of the Community Battery Round 1 under ARENA's Advancing Renewables Program.

Momentum Energy is coordinating the project on behalf of Hydro Tasmania.

The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the Australian Government, and the Australian Government does not accept responsibility for any information or advice contained herein.

About Momentum Energy
Momentum Energy is 100 per cent owned by Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest generator of renewable energy and supports the shift to renewables by being a trusted partner to businesses and households looking to decarbonise.