Alphington Community Battery and Community Energy Program Launched
To help accelerate the renewable energy transition, Village Power, a community group formed by residents of Alphington, Fairfield and Ivanhoe, decided not to wait for others to solve the problem. Over the past eight years, volunteers have developed a community energy model that is now operating successfully and available for other communities to learn from and adapt.
Community Energy is exactly what it sounds like: energy that is generated, stored and used locally. Rather than relying solely on large, distant power stations supplying individual households, community energy operates at the neighbourhood scale.
Generating solar energy is only part of the solution. To genuinely reduce dependence on fossil fuels, communities must work together to ensure that renewable energy generated locally is also used locally and made available to as many people as possible.
The Alphington Community Battery is one key part of that solution. It captures and stores surplus solar energy generated during the day and releases it in the evening, when demand is highest, helping the local community make greater use of renewable energy around the clock.
Village Power has also introduced a new measure of Community Energy use for program participants and the wider community. Based on the principle that “you can’t improve what you can’t measure,” the initiative establishes a benchmark of historic energy use while creating a shared challenge to improve over time. It provides participants with a tangible way to track progress, making the connection between everyday choices and community-wide outcomes visible. This is the second key part of the solution.
Today’s launch of the Alphington Community Battery and Community Energy Program celebrates the creativity, dedication and resilience of a small group of volunteers. It also recognises the support of a range of organisations whose contributions have been essential to bringing the project to life.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child,” said Graeme Martin, President of Village Power. “In our experience, it also takes a village, made up of community members, government, industry and local organisations, to advance the renewable energy transition. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to this achievement, especially the local community that supported us through every stage of the journey.”
Village Power was delighted to welcome the Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, the Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio MP, to officially launch the Alphington Community Battery and Community Energy Program. The project was made possible through funding from the Victorian Government’s Neighbourhood Battery Initiative.
Village Power also acknowledges the early encouragement and ongoing support of the local Member for Northcote, Kat Theophanous MP.
The City of Darebin was represented at the launch by Mayor Emily Demitriatas. The support of The Mayor and Councillors were instrumental in securing the site for the battery infrastructure.
Village Power’s implementation partner, Acacia Energy, represented by CEO Stephen Thomson, played a critical role in delivering the battery project and continues to support its ongoing operation.
The organisation also acknowledges the valuable technical expertise and support provided by Jemena, the local electricity distribution network operator.
Village Power exists to enable communities to take practical action on climate change through the greater use of renewable energy. Founded in 2018 as a community-owned incorporated association, its mission is simple to state but ambitious to deliver: making locally generated clean energy work for everyone.
For further information, contact:
Graeme Martin at info@villagepower.com.au