West Australian schools are set to become virtual power plants, creating cheaper and cleaner electricity for surrounding communities.
On Sunday, the State Government announced a further $2.7 billion in coronavirus stimulus funding under its WA Recovery Plan.
It included $66 million for renewable energy initiatives such as $4 million to transform 10 South West and Perth schools into virtual power plants.
Bill Johnston, the Minister for Energy, said using schools as virtual power plants was a first for the state.
Synergy will install batteries at the schools to store solar power which can be used by residents in the community.
Premier Mark McGowan said he expected the initiatives would create thousands of jobs.
Efficient electricity
Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes said he welcomed the funding.
He said the virtual power plant system would save communities money on electricity bills while better utilising the energy produced by the schools' solar panels.
"Schools are on leave for about 12 weeks every year and on weekends, and so you don't want to lose that electricity," Mr Grimes said.
"At the moment it gets produced and then exported to the grid but it's not actually used."
Mr Grimes said power captured by batteries during those down times could be used by the community at night and during the summer when electricity was the most expensive.
Power to the people
Renewable energy action group Augusta Margaret River Clean Community Energy had been pushing for more renewable energy in the region.
Chairwoman Lyn Serventy welcomed the funding and said producing and using power in the region would present multiple benefits to the community.
"It's a great way of reducing costs, improving efficiencies, creating jobs and, of course, improving our renewable footprint," she said.
"You can use that energy where it's created rather than sending it through the grid an enormous distance and using it somewhere else; it's a much more efficient use of power generation."
Other energy initiatives included a broad rollout of power systems and battery systems throughout regional WA and installing solar panels on bus stops and social housing properties.
The Government and Synergy are finalising the schools to be involved in the program.
