State-owned utility Western Power has commissioned five new community batteries in Perth suburbs as part of a federally funded initiative in Western Australia.
The organisation confirmed that five community battery energy storage systems (BESS), each 500kW/2,800kWh, have been installed in the suburbs of Coogee, Kinross, Bayswater, Stratton and Port Kennedy.
The Coogee community BESS is already operational, whilst Kinross, Bayswater and Stratton will be operational “shortly”. Construction at Port Kennedy is expected to begin shortly.
These will service approximately 350 households, including renters and apartment dwellers who typically cannot install rooftop solar PV and storage systems.
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Connected households can save up to AU$132 (US$84) annually, together with a 4kWh off-peak offset under a retail subscription product being developed by Synergy, another state-owned energy company, for release later in the year.
The lithium-ion battery systems are connected directly to the local distribution network, allowing them to store excess solar energy generated by households in each neighbourhood. This stored energy can then be discharged during peak demand periods, providing multiple benefits to both the grid and local residents.
Western Power selected the five locations based on several factors, including the concentration of rooftop solar installations in each area and specific network requirements.
The organisation added that the placement of these batteries aims to maximise their effectiveness in addressing local grid constraints while providing energy storage access to the greatest number of households.
Sam Barbaro, CEO of Western Power, took to LinkedIn to celebrate the launch of the new community batteries, stating they are a “win-win for Western Power and customers.”
“Currently, 40% of homes in the Western Power network have rooftop solar, and projects like this will enable a higher uptake of rooftop solar in a sustainable way that supports system security and manages infrastructure costs,” Barbaro added.
Community batteries in Western Australia’s SWIS continues to grow
Western Power confirmed the initiative received AU$2.5 million in funding through the federal government’s AU$200 million Community Batteries for Household Solar programme, which aims to install 400 community batteries nationwide to provide shared storage for households across Australia.
In addition to the federal government’s community battery programme, the federal government has invested AU$20.8 million in Project Jupiter, which aims to help Western Australian households benefit from Virtual Power Plants (VPPs).
The Western Australian state government, led by Premier Roger Cook, has also launched complementary initiatives, including the WA Residential Battery Scheme that opened in July 2025.
This scheme combines the AU$337 million WA Household Battery Rebate with the federal government’s AU$2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries programme to support 100,000 households installing residential battery systems.
The five new installations add to Western Power’s growing portfolio of community batteries across the South West Interconnected System (SWIS).
The utility has been at the forefront of community battery deployment in Australia, beginning with its first PowerBank trial in Meadow Springs, which launched in 2018 and featured a 105kW/420kWh BESS.
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