4 May 2023
Fifteen Alice Springs households are taking part in a new public housing solar and battery trial.
As part of the Public Housing Renewables Program Trial, solar panels and battery systems are being installed on the homes, with residents set to benefit from a reduction in their power bills, while also generating clean, renewable energy.
The trial will produce data and lessons on how various metering types, such as prepayment and post payment metres, interact with the Alice Springs Virtual Power Plant (VPP). Using smart technology, the VPP is a collection of solar and battery storage technologies that govern energy flow to and from power networks.
The houses for the trial were selected based on the type of prepayment meters used and considerations around existing network constraints. Roof and switchboard conditions, and the degree of shading were also criteria for the suitability of the houses.
Installation of the solar PV and battery systems will be completed on 14 May 2023.
The trial is one of several simulations, investigations and trials that make up the Alice Springs Future Grid, a multi-stakeholder systems initiative considering how Alice Springs can achieve 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030. Desert Knowledge Australia is managing the delivery of the Future Grid project in collaboration with a number of business organisations, including Ekistica, Jacana Energy, Power and Water Corporation and the Arid Lands Environment Centre.
