Neighbourhood Batteries Program Phillip Island
Mondo is delivering Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) at 11 sites, with 7 locations underway in Phillip Island, and 4 under development in Queenscliffe.
Location: Phillip Island, Victoria
Timeframe: 2024 – current
Working with the Phillip Island community to design and build a sustainable energy solution
About the project
The project received funding as part of the State Government’s 100 Neighbourhood Batteries (100NB) Program, managed by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. Successful applicants in Round 1 of the 100NB were publicly announced in March 2024.
Mondo, in collaboration with the Bass Coast Shire Council and Totally Renewable Phillip Island (TRPI), has strategically located the 100kW / 205 kWh BESS installations at six sites across the Island. Two of these units are double-sized (200kW / 410 kWh) to match the scale of local need for storage.
The BESS units, which are sized just larger than a public phone box, aim to act as a “solar sponge,” soaking up excess daytime solar energy generation for later use. This facilitates the transition towards renewable energy sources and supports the Council Climate Change Action Plan and community aspirations for 100% renewable energy.
The BESS installations are optimised by the Mondo Ubi Platform, which will manage the battery management system to charge the storage cells when there is excess solar and discharge the cells when there is high demand. The Mondo Ubi will also optimise operations to respond to the wholesale energy market.
Key deliverables
- Each 100kW / 205kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate BESS measures 2.3m high, 1.3m wide, and 1.3m deep, with two sites using double units
- Each site has a switchboard paired with the battery, measuring 2.3m high, 2m wide, and 4.5m deep, slightly larger at double battery sites.
- The BESS units are on a steel platform sized to fit them and a switchboard.
- Six batteries are ‘front of meter’ units.
- One battery will be ‘behind the meter’ at Berninneit.
Battery locations and progress
Benefits from our solution
Frequently Asked Questions
The Victorian Government is investing in 100 neighbourhood-scale batteries across the state through the 100 Neighbourhood Batteries (100NB) Program. In the first round of funding, $2.1 million was awarded to Mondo to install, maintain, and operate 7 BESS units at Phillip Island. Each battery is 100kW/205kWh. Two of the BESS sites have double the storage capacity at 200kW / 410kWh.
Mondo is an energy services company based in Melbourne and is a commercial subsidiary of AusNet. Mondo has been working withVictorian communities to help them achieve their renewable energy goals. Mondo has been pioneering community energy projects since 2017, including microgrids, virtual power plants, the 5MW/10MWh battery on Phillip Island (PICESS), utility-grade stand-alone power systems and energy resilience solutions.
Recent projects include the Phillip Island Community EnergyStorage System (PICESS), which was commissioned in 2023.
Victoria’s energy grid was originally designed for a one-way flow of power, moving energy from where it’s made to where it’s needed. Rooftop solar generation and other renewable power generation have introduced a more dynamic, two-way flow of electricity, something that the original electricity network was not designed for. To maintain a stable electricity supply and to harness as much renewable energy as possible, we need more storage at the network, district, neighbourhood, and property levels.
The batteries within the BESS will be charged and discharged with electricity from the wholesale energy market, typically charging from the grid during the day with solar energy and storing this energy until it is needed in the evening or early morning, when demand is high, and renewable energy supply is limited
No. The BESS function enhances the local network’s capacity to absorb excess solar energy during the day and export it during periods of higher demand. They will not operate or provide back-up power during an outage. However, by storing excess solar electricity, the stored electricity may help address challenges associated with summer peak loads, which have overloaded parts of the local grid and have caused outages in the past.
No. The purpose of this energy storage is to improve the capacity and efficiency of the grid in handling solar power, thereby reducing our reliance on fossil fuel energy sources and reducing energy costs for all. Home batteries are primarily used for the homeowner's benefit by storing their solar and providing backup. The neighbourhood batteries will complement other storage connected to the grid, including home batteries.
No, your personal electricity plan and your choice of energy retailer will not be impacted.
Larger energy storage further ‘upstream’ on the main Island supply will not alleviate local solar or peak load constraints on the transformers and low voltage networks.
The neighbourhood BESS are installed to provide storage in the low voltage power system between the pole mounted transformers and place of use - homes/businesses. The battery will work to smooth the fluctuations in supply and demand in these very localised parts of the electricity system. This will improve the capacity of these low-voltage power systems to accommodate more solar generation and higher demand without excessive voltage fluctuations.
The specific battery locations have now been published and detailed on the Mondo Project webpage. The criteria for selecting locations includes the consideration of:
• The existing and expected solar generation in the local network.
• Suitable electrical connection points close to the distribution transformers.
• Accessible, appropriate, safe and available land that supports the community needs.
• Consideration of ecological and cultural heritage impacts.
The battery energy storage systems do emit some noise whencharging or discharging power, predominantly caused by the cooling system, likea reverse cycle air conditioner. The systems will adhere to Environment Protection Authority(EPA) requirements and extra noise reduction methods will be used if requiredat a site. Noise levels will be assessed following the installation of thebatteries.
The main BESS cabinet is slightly larger than a public phone box. The physical footprint, including the switchboard, is approximately 2 meters by 2 meters. The expected lease area are each approximately 5 metres by 3 metres; however, this may vary slightly from site to site due to specific locational requirements.
Each battery’s energy storage capacity will be 205kWh. This is suitable for the size of transformers found on the local grid and space provisions. Two sites in Phillip Island are double BESS installations, each with a total of 410kWh of storage.
The installations will be strategically located in areas with substantial local solar generation. If there is any shortfall of locally generated solar energy, the battery will be charged from nearby solar or other generation sources on the grid.
Mondo has selected quality, proven, utility-grade storage solutions to ensure the community’s safety. The batteries will utilise the stable lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry, have multiple protection systems and remote monitoring. Mondo is responsible for the ongoing maintenance and vegetation management around the BESS installations. The BESS is in locked cabinets of a similar strength to other electricity network equipment.
The expected operational life for each battery cell is approximately 15 years, depending on the number of charge/discharge cycles. Mondo will maintain and monitor the battery cells to optimise life.
It is unknown what the energy landscape will look like at the end of the batteries' expected life; however, circular economy practices continue to evolve to provide responsible options to reuse or recycle end-of-life batteries. Once the battery cells and other equipment reach the end of life, a decision will be made by Mondo with the local council on how best to remove, re-purpose or recycle them.
Several energy storage solutions that are assembled in Australia were considered, but Mondo was unable to find the services required from systems built in Australia and ultimately chose the EVO Power solution.
EVO Power, the manufacturer of the BESS, will assemble the cabinets in Bayswater and then transport them to our selected specialist installer DEACAM. They were shipped to site and installed on a galvanised steel platform. Each installation takes only a few days, but the full commissioning can take over a month once the electricity connection is made, though much of that final work can be done remotely.
Local emergency services will be briefed on the batteries and their specific locations. Should it be required, emergency services will follow their procedures on managing incidents and hazards. The CFA’s Renewable Energy Fire Safety division has been consulted and is supportive of the project.
Neighbourhood-scale batteries are classified as minor utility installations under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and do not typically require a planning permit. However, each site will be considered by Mondo and the Council about overlays, specific values, heritage considerations, proximity to neighbours, and high tide levels.
Mondo has collaborated closely with Bass Coast Shire Council and TRPI to finalise a community donation arrangement that is fair, equitable, and transparent. The fund will be managed by Bass Coast Shire alongside the Energy Innovation Cooperative on behalf of the community and will be used to support local renewable energy and efficiency projects for the Island Community.
