How community batteries work
In many suburbs, rooftop solar sends more power into local lines at midday than the street uses, which pushes up voltage and leads to export limits. A battery on the local network can charge from that surplus and discharge it when people come home and demand peaks.
That can free up room for more solar, ease pressure on the network and, depending on the scheme, give nearby households a credit or a share of the value. Batteries are run by networks, retailers or community groups.
The national program
- 2022
Commitment
The Australian Government committed $200 million to 400 community batteries under its Community Batteries for Household Solar program.
- 2023
Funding rounds
The program was delivered through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
- Now
More than 420
The Minister for Climate Change and Energy announced that more than 420 community batteries were on track across every state and territory.
Community battery or home battery?
Community battery
- No upfront cost to you
- Uses the street's solar efficiently
- Benefits renters and apartment dwellers
- Benefits shared and often modest
- No backup power for your home
Home battery
- Stores your own solar for the evening
- Can provide backup in an outage with the right setup
- Discounts under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program
- Thousands of dollars upfront
- Payback depends on your usage and tariff
Common questions
A large battery shared by a neighbourhood and connected to the local electricity network. It stores excess rooftop solar during the day and releases it in the evening.
It depends on the project. Some offer participating households a credit or share of the value, while others are run by the network to ease congestion and lift export limits.
The Australian Government committed to 400 under its Community Batteries for Household Solar program, and later said more than 420 were on track across every state and territory.
Often, yes. Because the battery sits on the local network rather than at your home, you do not need to own the property or have solar. Whether you receive a direct benefit depends on how the project shares its value.
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the regulator or the regulated retailer. Last checked October 2026. Prices include GST unless we say otherwise.