Neighbourhood Battery Training 2-day course (February 2025)

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) has engaged the Yarra Energy Foundation (YEF) to provide a two-day advanced neighbourhood battery course.

The purpose of this course is to improve the quality and maturity of neighbourhood battery (NB) project proposals in Victoria. The course provides participants with the knowledge and capabilities to:

• plan a neighbourhood battery project
• develop a business case that enables you to pursue funding opportunities for your project.

Who is this training for?

The training is designed for industry practitioners, community groups, governments, and businesses that want to deploy neighbourhood batteries in Victoria. In particular, those who are seeking assistance to prepare to apply for grant funding under the Victorian Government’s 100 Neighbourhood Batteries program.  

Delivered over two days, the course will cover the:

• steps towards developing a robust project plan and business case for a NB
• fundamentals of Battery Energy Storage System components, operation, and procurement
• process for determining whether a NB is the right solution for your circumstances
• different value streams available to owners of NBs, including market participation, retail arrangements and network tariffs
• different business/operating models, use cases, and dispatch control methods including neighbourhood batteries in energy back-up systems
• processes and criteria for site identification, assessment, and approval
• approaches to successfully communicating and meaningfully engaging with stakeholders
• role of NBs in decarbonising the energy system
• priorities for project management, including identifying relevant project partners and determining the sequencing of critical project activities.

You will also hear from expert guest speakers, including those who have delivered neighbourhood batteries (including as resilient energy back-up systems), and hear perspectives from Distribution Network Service Providers.

On the first day, participants will have an opportunity to visit the Fitzroy North community battery.

When

This in-person course will be delivered over two consecutive days.

• 18-19 February 2024

Venue

YEF offices (United Co co-working space)

425 Smith Street, Fitzroy, Victoria

Tickets

The course will host up to 40 participants.

Ticket types (prices incl. GST and booking fee):

• Interstate General Admission (interstate participants and Victorian organisations seeking more than two tickets) - $1,601.55
• Victorian General Admission (all Victorian organisations up to a maximum of two tickets per organisation) - $594.69
• Victorian Non-Profit Organisations (non-profits and others whose financial circumstances would otherwise preclude attendance) - $297.03*

The Victorian Government and YEF are providing significant co-subsidies for the General Admission and Non-Profit tickets. Note these subsidised prices will only be available for a limited time.  

All training materials and catering are included in the ticket.

What to bring?

Preferred note-taking method. Training is fully catered.

What pre-work do I need to do?

Pre-work required: Read the pre-training materials (~30 mins) – these will be sent out to all registrants at least 5 business days prior.

Pre-work recommended: Read the 100 Neighbourhood Batteries grants webpage and review DEECA’s tools, including the Project Readiness Assessment Tool. Further tools and training resources will be shared when they become available.

How to access NFP pricing?

*Limited spaces are available at the Victorian Non-Profit Organisation price ($297.03). If you would like to access this discounted ticket please contact DEECA to confirm your eligibility via the following email: neighbourhood.batteries@deeca.vic.gov.au

Please include in your email:

• your full name
• the NFP organisation you are representing
• your role in the NFP 
• what involvement your organisation has had with NB projects to date and any plans your group has for future NB implementation

If you require booking assistance, please email tim.shue@yef.org.au

Contacts

Tim Shue, Yarra Energy Foundation - tim.shue@yef.org.au |+61 3 7037 6045 or

DEECA - neighbourhood.batteries@deeca.vic.gov.au

About our trainers

YEF has been engaged by DEECA to design and deliver the training. YEF is an independent not-for-profit organisation with a mission to accelerate the uptake of cleaner energy.

YEF has been involved in the delivery of NB projects through the Victorian Government’s Neighbourhood Battery Initiative and has developed expertise working with stakeholders across the industry on a range of neighbourhood battery projects.

Learn more about YEF