Yarra Trams and the Yarra Energy Foundation are joining forces to celebrate the success of Victoria’s first inner-urban community battery, with a new campaign tram rolling on to Melbourne’s iconic network from today.

The four-month Harness the sun with community batteries campaign is inviting everyone to learn more about community batteries by completing an interactive quiz, with one lucky participant scoring a six-month subscription to the Lug+Carrie e-bike rental service.

“Our vision is for a cleaner energy future that addresses a changing climate,” said Yarra Energy Foundation (YEF) CEO Dean Kline.

“Getting there means we need new ways to get renewable energy to everyone, and community batteries fill the ‘missing middle’ of storage that we want people to know more about.”

YEF launched the first inner-urban community battery in Fitzroy North in 2022, which has since gained a huge national and international following, with over 10,000 views since being listed on Google Maps.

“We’re so excited to be partnering with Yarra Trams on this campaign and to hear what people out in the community know, think, and feel about community batteries,” said Mr Kline.

The campaign also aims to support better energy choices, like taking the tram, which are all powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, installing solar, improving energy efficiency, or simply talking about renewable energy with their friends and family.

Yarra Trams and YEF also secured funding from the Victorian Government’s Neighbourhood Battery Initiative to develop business cases for neighbourhood batteries across 10 metropolitan sites.

This tram campaign is made possible through the Yarra Trams Community Partnership Program that provides in-kind advertising to community organisations committed to creating a more sustainable and resilient Melbourne.

Yarra Trams’ CEO Carla Purcell celebrated the launch of the YEF-wrapped tram.

“Supporting organisations building a more equitable and sustainable Melbourne is a big focus for our Community Partnerships Program. I’m delighted we can support the Yarra Energy Foundation by bringing their message to life on a 20-metre long tram.”

The tram artwork, titled Set the controls to harness the sun, was illustrated by local artist, Hayden Dewar and depicts humanoid characters called ’solarquins’, that are powered by the sun and care for the planet. The tram was designed by a team at local consultancy, Ellis Jones, who create social impact through award-winning research, strategy, communications and design.

For more information about the campaign visit: www.yef.org.au/harness-the-sun-with-community-batteries/

Media Contact:

Lloyd Heathfield

lloyd.heathfield@yef.org.au

0466 147 932

Did anyone see our tram over the weekend? Keep an eye for it around town from October to January (Routes 48 or 109) and share a photo with #YEFtram on your socials. You can find where the YEF tram is at any time by using the Yarra Trams tramTRACKER app. Tram #3033.

To do this:

1. Open tramTRACKER on your smartphone
2. Select the myTRAM tab on the homepage
3. Enter our tram number 3033 into the search area and press ‘go’ or the magnifying glass
4. The screen will then tell you which route and where the tram is located on the network