Ausgrid, a distributed networking provider in New South Wales, Australia, has commissioned its third battery energy storage system as part of the federal government's AU $200 million (US $132 million) Home Solar Community Battery program.

Ausgrid says the 250 kW/535 kWh battery storage system installed in the Sydney suburb of North Epping will allow households without rooftop PV systems to benefit from renewable energy, while also easing pressure on the grid by absorbing excess solar power.

Ausgrid CEO Marc England said the benefits of community batteries are huge, providing a flexible, scalable energy solution that benefits the local communities in which they are located and the wider energy system.

"Batteries like this can maintain local power quality and voltage, enabling residents to install more solar and feed that solar energy into the grid, supporting home electrification and electric vehicle charging," he said, adding, "Batteries will also provide system-wide benefits, supporting more intermittent renewable energy generation by bridging the gap between when energy is generated and when it is needed." "

England said that with the right regulatory setup, Ausgrid could provide more than 1 GW to 2 GW of storage capacity in its network, which he believes will improve the safety and reliability of the power system.