SA Housing Trust tenants in Port Pirie can now potentially save on their electricity bills through a new community battery installed in the town under the emPowering SA program.
Delivered by the Government of South Australia in partnership with energy retailer AGL, the battery stores excess energy from the grid when there are lots of renewables, and then makes that energy available at night, during periods of high demand, or when the grid needs support. By doing this, it also helps reduce cost of living pressures by giving eligible tenants the option to join a discounted electricity plan, that is currently the cheapest generally available residential electricity plan in South Australia.
The Port Pirie battery is one of 18 community batteries being rolled out across South Australia, with two already operating in Magill and Edwardstown in metropolitan Adelaide.
Importantly, joining the emPowering SA program does not require solar panels, a battery, or any other property changes, tenants can continue using electricity as they do now.