Victorian neighbourhood battery plan to maximise benefits of ‘solar boom’ - can you see Thailand ever doing this?

[Encid]

The Victorian government has unveiled an ambitious plan to install 100 battery energy storage systems in neighbourhoods across the state by the end of 2026 as part of a broader strategy to support the rollout of more rooftop solar PV as it targets 95% renewables by 2035.

 

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced his government would spend $42 million (USD 26.9 million) to install 100 neighbourhood batteries in communities across the state if it is re-elected on Nov. 26.

Fifteen of the batteries will initially be installed in Melbourne and 13 in regional Victoria. Labor said it has committed to work with community groups, local governments and distribution companies to identify locations for the remaining 72 batteries.

 

The rollout of rooftop solar in Victoria is among the most impressive in Australia with more than 200,000 Victorians having already installed solar panels on their roof. As many as one in every five homes have a solar system installed, generating enough energy to meet a third of Victoria’s total residential electricity demand but Andrews said the batteries will allow more residents to share the benefits of the “solar boom.”

 

 

You can read the full article from PV Magazine Australia here.

[Olmate]

When is the election?? 

[Lacessit]

I was one of the first to install solar panels on my house in Victoria. With the feed-in tariff I got at that time, my electricity bill dropped to nearly zero, and the capital cost was paid back in two years of operation.

High capacity battery storage is the next step along the road.

I can't see it happening in Thailand soon, fossil fuel-derived electricity is still cheap here, and a government run by incompetents and kleptocrats won't be willing to spend on infrastructure unless it helps them line their own pockets.

Eventually, market forces and carbon pricing will bring about change.

[Encid]

1 hour ago, Olmate said:

When is the election?? 

The next Victorian State election will be held on Saturday 26 November.

[G Rex]

 I installed a 4.2kW system on my home in regional Victoria in 2011. At that time , the system was not cheap - about $15K - but due to the higher feed in tariff I was getting - I hardly ever had an electricity bill  ,  and the system paid itself off in less than 6 years. After 2012 , systems became cheaper, but the 66c per kW feed in price was scrapped and was reduced to about 6c - so return on investment was lower. With high feed in payments, we made sure to use little electricity in the daytime - so that our generated power would return to the grid, and we would use cheaper off-peak power at night. The system now is skewed towards using your own generated power in the daytime.

I looked into solar installations in LOS - too expensive (unless you can DIY) - and because electricity is relatively cheap here - too long to break even. 

I went for solar to save money - not to feel great about saving the world.

Dictator Dans policies will be purely aimed at vote catchers. No doubt the battery  storage banks will be installed in Labour or marginal seats!