LABOR has promised a community battery to soak up Maldon's excess solar power if it wins the 2022 election.
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Shadow minister for climate change and energy Chris Bowen made the announcement in the central Victorian town on Monday.
More than 600 people have solar panels in Maldon but none have registered expensive household batteries.
Labor says it is limiting rooftop solar's potential in a town where half of households have taken up the technology.
It is also putting more pressure on the electricity grid, the party says.
The new community battery would allow households to feed power into the shared battery during the day and draw from it at night.
Renters and others who are unable to install solar could also draw excess energy from the grid.
The idea is part of the ALP's $200 million plan to install 400 community batteries nationwide.
It comes as Labor's election campaign for the seat of Bendigo begins to heat up.
An election date could be confirmed soon and be held in March, under one scenario Labor has been contemplated.
Both Labor and the Liberal party launched their bids for the seat of Bendigo with dueling policy announcements on airport upgrades earlier this month.
Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters used a one-on-one interview with the Bendigo Advertiser last December to flag community solar as an election issue in the region.
"Central Victoria has a number of great towns that would benefit from a community battery," she said.
"People want to connect to solar but the grid is outdated."
The Liberal Party has been approached for comment.
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