Push on network batteries could reduce power prices, Premier Steven Miles says
The next stage of Queensland’s push towards 29 power network batteries should reduce electricity bills ‘into the future’, the Premier says.
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Household power bills should come down in the future with state government investment in its network-connected batteries program, the Queensland Premier says.
On Wednesday Premier Steven Miles announced the $179 million, third stage of the program which will bring 12 new batteries to as yet unconfirmed sites across the state.
Previous stages of the program installed - or meant batteries are currently being installed - in Townsville, Mackay, Toowoomba and Cairns among others.
Seventeen batteries, which hold enough electricity to power a household for a year, are in place or almost installed.
The battery initiative meant more houses could install solar panels, and the distribution network was less strained, the Premier said.
“That means communities can effectively share that rooftop solar so those (houses) with rooftop solar will be feeding into the battery,” Mr Miles said.
“But everyone in that local community will be drawing down on it in the evenings. It’s one of the ways that we can help keep power prices down going into the future.”
Wednesday’s announcement pertained to stage three of the battery scheme.
Once stage four was done, Queensland would have 29, shipping container-sized batteries. Most of those are lithium batteries, one in the southeast is vanadium, and Energy Queensland is trialling a couple of bromide batteries as well.
Energy Queensland program support manager Denyce Fisher said expanding the network’s storage meant more solar panels could be better utilised.
“There’s only so much solar that the network can take all at once during the day on nice, sunny, warm days.”
The batteries would soak up solar power and balance out higher energy demands in the afternoons and evenings, she said.
But the question of how many batteries equalled a decrease in power bills was complicated, Ms Fisher said.
A “decent penetration” of batteries would void cost increases, but those bill decreases would take time, she said.
“It would stand to reason that if people are able to adopt solar at a greater rate, they would certainly see reductions in their bills.”
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