FAQs

Community batteries are bigger than household batteries and smaller than utility scale batteries.

They are typically located within a local community and provide benefits both for that community and for the wider electricity grid.

They store excess energy from the grid when renewable energy is abundant. They then make that energy available at night, during periods of high demand, or when the grid needs support.

Community batteries can:

• lower electricity bills
• support more households to install rooftop solar
• allow households who cannot install solar panels to enjoy renewable energy
• reduce pressure on the electricity grid
• absorb excess energy that might cause voltage spikes in the electricity grid
• lower emissions

The first two batteries, emPowering Magill and emPowering Edwardstown, are located within perforated steel enclosures with metal roofs. The front wall of both enclosures is perforated to incorporate photography from the local community. Names of the photographers are acknowledged on plaques at each site.

All other batteries under emPowering SA use different technology and will consist of equipment located on two outdoor concrete slabs. One slab will be approximately 12 metres by 7 metres and will hold all battery equipment, and the other slab will be approximately 3 metres by 3.5 metres and hold a high voltage to low voltage transformer.

The larger slab will be surrounded by a fence, which the emPowering SA project team intends to design in conjunction with each Council to ensure it meets Council, community, and project expectations regarding visual amenity, security, and maintenance.

All equipment is rated for external conditions, meaning there is no need for roofing or shade structures.

The first two batteries, emPowering Magill and emPowering Edwardstown, both have a capacity of 150 kilowatts and 405 kilowatt-hours.

All other batteries under emPowering SA have a capacity of 700 kilowatts and 1,828 kilowatt-hours. Once all batteries are commissioned, the combined capacity of the fleet will be 11.5 megawatts and 30 megawatt-hours.

Three emPowering SA batteries have already been delivered and are located at:

• Tuku Wirra on Koongarra Court, Magill
• Towers Terrace, Edwardstown
• Grey Terrace, Port Pirie
• Adams Rd, Elizabeth Park

With support from councils and local communities, other emPowering SA batteries will be located across metropolitan and regional South Australia.

Councils already working with us include Campbelltown City Council, City of Charles Sturt, City of Marion, City of Mitcham, Port Pirie Regional Council, Mount Barker District Council, Rural City of Murray Bridge, City of Onkaparinga, City of Playford, City of Port Adelaide Enfield, City of Port Lincoln, City of Salisbury, and City of West Torrens.

Proposed locations for batteries in these council areas will be published on this website and shared with the local communities as the project progresses.

All equipment is rated for outdoor installation and operation in Australian conditions. All batteries are also installed to provide necessary natural ventilation around key equipment.

Noise from the batteries will be limited to the operation of small ventilation fans and is expected to be well below environmental noise requirements, and likely inaudible, at nearby homes.

The energy storage technology of the batteries is certified to the most stringent safety standards for energy storage.

This includes lithium cell and battery safety standards IEC 62619:2022 and IEC 63056:2020, and grid connection, installation, and inverter standards AS/NZS 5139, AS/NZS 4777.2, AS 3000, and AS 3008.

In the unlikely event it is required, the battery cabinets also contain fire detection and an automatically activated fire suppression system.

No. Similar community batteries have been installed across Australia with no known interference.

Yes. AGL will carry out annual maintenance on the batteries in line with manufacturer’s recommendations.

The batteries are expected to have a 15 year life.

Every household in South Australia will benefit from emPowering SA through the grid stabilisation services they provide. They will also help us increase our use of renewable energy, reduce our emissions and meet our climate change targets.

Also, more than 10,000 South Australian government nominated households facing cost of living pressure will directly financially benefit from emPowering SA, through access to a retail electricity rate 26% below the Default Market Offer (DMO), the default price for electricity.

On current figures, a typical household benefitting from emPowering SA could save up to $608 off their annual electricity bill (based on the annual saving estimate for a new residential customer when compared to the DMO with an annual energy consumption of 4,000 kilowatt-hours per year).

SA Housing Trust tenants can register their interest to benefit from emPowering SA by completing the form on www.empowering.sa.gov.au/join.

This ensures that emPowering SA enables the benefits of community batteries to be realised by local residents who are currently locked out from accessing renewable energy technologies, and for whom lower energy bills means the most.

SA Housing Trust tenants can register their interest to benefit from emPowering SA by completing the form on www.empowering.sa.gov.au/join.

The government is currently prioritising access for SA Housing Trust tenants in council areas where a battery is already installed and is operational. These council areas are currently the City of Marion, Campbelltown City Council, and the Port Pirie Regional Council. However new community batteries will be joining our fleet regularly, so we recommend registering your interest now. We will contact you as soon as places become available.

emPowering SA is jointly funded by the Government of South Australia, energy retailer AGL, and the Australian Government's Community Batteries for Household Solar program.

Councils work with the Government of South Australia and AGL to identify possible sites in their Local Government Area (LGA) to host a community battery, lead community engagement regarding the location of the battery (if required), and subject to successful completion of any community engagement, negotiate with the South Australian government to agree a Lease of land for the installation and provide advice regarding the Development Application.

The emPowering SA battery fleet will work together to deliver direct benefits over time to more than 10,000 South Australian government nominated households facing cost of living pressure.

These households will be able to access one of the lowest residential electricity rates in South Australia. On current figures, a typical household benefitting from emPowering SA could save up to $608 off their annual electricity bill.

This ensures that emPowering SA enables the benefits of community batteries to be realised by local residents who are currently locked out from accessing renewable energy technologies, and for whom lower energy bills means the most.

Over their operational life, emPowering SA is expected to deliver around $60 million of value direct to low-income and energy hardship households across South Australia, and even greater value to our electricity grid.

Knowledge from emPowering SA will also be shared to provide information on the real-world deployment and operation of community batteries for the benefit of future projects by the private sector and community

All emPowering SA community batteries will be owned by the Government of South Australia, and operated by energy retailer AGL as part of a virtual power plant (VPP).

There are a range of South Australian government programs and initiatives that can support households with their energy needs and energy bills:

• Energy Advisory Service(external site)
• Energy bill concessions(external site)
• SA Concessions Energy Discount Offer(external site)
• Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme

Weld Reserve was identified as the preferred location following an assessment of potential sites against the technical, safety and environmental requirements for a community battery.

A key requirement is access to an 11kV high-voltage feeder with suitable network conditions so the battery can operate efficiently and reliably. Weld Reserve meets this requirement, while a number of other locations assessed did not.

The proposed location also provides:

• flat, cleared ground with no retaining works required
• sufficient clearance from trees, overhead powerlines and other infrastructure
• no significant vegetation impacts
• no known underground services that would interfere with the battery
• suitable road access while allowing the battery to be positioned away from the road and nearby homes
• sufficient space for the battery without significantly affecting the reserve’s existing community use.

The battery would occupy only a small part of the reserve, allowing it to continue to be used as public open space. Opportunities for additional landscaping and community planting are also proposed as part of the project.

If the project goes ahead, the battery will consist of equipment located on two outdoor concrete slabs. One slab will be approximately 12 metres by 7 metres and will hold all the battery equipment, and the other slab will be approximately 3 metres by 3.5 metres and hold a high voltage to low voltage transformer.

Council is working with the Government of South Australia to make sure any future battery installation meets expectations for visual impact, security, and maintenance.

No. Council proposes to enter a 15-year lease for community land, and in exchange South Australian government nominated households in the Mount Barker District Council will be among the first households offered access to the benefits of the retail electricity rate 26% below the Default Market Offer (DMO), the default price for electricity. Every household in South Australia will benefit from emPowering SA through the grid stabilisation services they provide. They will also help us increase our use of renewable energy, reduce our emissions and meet our climate change targets.

Yes. While community batteries are relatively new, the technology is proven and used nationwide from home batteries to grid-scale sites with no known environmental, health, or electromagnetic issues. There are no known contamination risks from installation.