Victoria’s newest (and perhaps most beautiful!) community battery goes live on World Environment Day 2022
Despite the chill, a large crowd thronged to the unveiling of Victoria’s first inner-urban community battery, launched by YEF with funding from the Victorian Government through the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative.
The battery was launched in Fitzroy North by The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, and the Minister for Solar Homes. Alongside her were dignitaries including the City of Yarra Mayor, Cr Sophie Wade, Yarra Councillors, Ms Sheena Watt MP, and Lauren O’Dwyer, Labor’s State candidate for Richmond.
Minister D’Ambrosio also announced $2.3 million of grants to support more community batteries under the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative.
There was a buzz of local residents, media and project partners gathering to celebrate (and catch a selfie with) one of the most striking community batteries in the country.
The idea for a mural on the battery came from local residents through the Community Reference Group. Of the submissions, facilitated by the City of Yarra, the Group chose this inspiring design, titled Set the controls to harness the sun, by local artist Hayden Dewar.
The launch received national coverage on TV, print and radio, with an overwhelmingly positive reception on social media, including from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.
The artwork captures notions of sustainability, wonder, and native flora and fauna, depicting hooded “Solarquin” characters harnessing the power of the sun to journey towards a more sustainable future.
This is only the beginning of what YEF and other proponents hope will be a deployment of many more community batteries across Victoria.
YEF would like to thank all of the individuals and organisations that partnered to make this milestone project a reality.
- Fitzroy North Community Reference Group
- DELWP
- CitiPower
- City of Yarra
- The Australian National University’s Battery Storage & Grid Integration Program
- Ventia
- Pixii
- Acacia Energy
- Polarium
Photos courtesy of Matt Krumins, courtesy of the City of Yarra.
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Watch the ABC video below
