PEOPLE who cannot export solar power to the grid could one day find the answer in batteries pooling neighbourhoods' energy in Bendigo suburbs.
The batteries could help deal with any shortcomings in the grid as providers shift away from centralised, coal-fired power to more local sources, the Bendigo Sustainability Group's Colin Lambie says.
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"Over the last year we have found people who want to install solar but have been told they can't export what they don't use," he said.
"Powercor's done a lot of work upgrading networks in many areas but, ultimately, these neighbourhood batteries are another way of people installing more solar."
Powercor has released new feasibility results after scanning two-thirds of Victoria for neighbourhood battery potential.
They enlisted a host of groups including the Bendigo Sustainability Group.
The study has bolstered hopes that neighbourhood batteries could help communities reliably generate income for people.
Exactly what any future batteries will look like and do remains to be seen, Powercor's head of network strategy Greg Hannan said.
"The different constructs for neighbourhood batteries really are as unique as the neighbourhoods they serve," he said.
Some batteries might pool 50 homes power, others 500, Mr Lambie said.
The batteries could be installed on private properties or public land, close to where they would pool people's solar energy.
Mr Lambie said it would be going too far to say a neighbourhood street battery would one day stand on every street corner.
"Yes, that would be too far to go," he said.
"Some suburbs might have none, others might have multiple ones. It's going to depend on the penetration of solar and daytime loads."
A place like Huntly did not have much industry to suck up power fed into the energy grid, Mr Lambie said.
"And you have a lot of people leaving during the day for work, so there's a lot of spare energy that can go into the grid," he said.
"So a suburb like that could be suitable for a neighbourhood battery."
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Powercor has finished its feasibility study as Bendigo intensifies its bid to get as close to zero emissions as possible by 2030.
The City of Greater Bendigo is leading a new "climate collaboration" bringing together businesses, community groups and individuals.
Discussions on projects are ongoing and are expected to culminate next year in a climate symposium.
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Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
