Western Power has begun construction on 18 new community battery energy storage systems across Perth and Bunbury, bringing the state's total community battery fleet to 36 units. The $25 million project, partly funded by a $9.34 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), will deliver a combined 6.6 megawatts of storage capacity by mid-2027.
How community batteries work
Community batteries are neighbourhood-scale energy storage systems installed by network operators. They absorb excess rooftop solar generation during the day and release that stored energy back into the local grid during the evening peak, typically between 5pm and 9pm, when household demand climbs and solar output drops to zero.
The model is particularly valuable for renters, apartment residents, and households that cannot install their own rooftop solar. By sharing storage at the neighbourhood level, these groups gain access to the financial benefits of solar power for the first time.
The WA deployment
The 18 new installations comprise 13 low-voltage systems across suburban Perth and five larger medium-voltage units in Bunbury. Western Power selected each location in consultation with local councils and network planners, targeting areas with high rooftop solar uptake and constrained local infrastructure.
The Bunbury batteries are expected to be operational by the end of 2026, with the Perth units following by May 2027. Once online, connected households may save up to $132 per year through a retail subscription product developed by state-owned retailer Synergy.
Why this matters for the Kimberley
While these 18 batteries are being deployed in the state's south-west grid, the technology and the policy framework behind them have direct implications for remote Kimberley communities. Community-scale battery storage is one of the core components of any remote community energy system, working alongside solar panels to store daytime generation for overnight use and reducing dependence on diesel generators.
Horizon Power, which manages power supply to 117 remote Aboriginal communities in WA, is already deploying battery storage through its ReGen program and Kimberley Communities Solar Saver initiative. The federal Community Batteries for Household Solar program, which funded the Western Power rollout, is a national program that remote community projects can also access.
What this means for communities
Battery storage is the missing piece that turns intermittent solar generation into reliable, round-the-clock power. As community battery technology matures and costs fall in urban deployments, the same systems become more affordable and better proven for remote community microgrids. Every urban community battery installed is another step toward proven, bankable technology for the Kimberley.
The broader WA battery landscape is expanding rapidly. More than 45,000 Western Australian households and small businesses have installed residential batteries under the Cheaper Home Batteries Programme since 2025. Two large grid-scale batteries in Muchea and Merredin are under construction, and ten new renewable energy and battery projects were approved under the Capacity Investment Scheme in May 2026, adding nearly 3.7 gigawatt-hours of storage to the state grid.
For remote Aboriginal communities considering their energy future, the message is clear: battery storage is no longer experimental technology. It is mainstream infrastructure being deployed at scale across Western Australia, and the funding programs that support it are growing, not shrinking.