St Arbour

r0_511_5000_3333_w1200_h678_fmax — Canberra is set for its first battery-powered residential development in Braddon. Agent Will Honey, and builder Michael Dascarolis at the Braddon site. Picture: Jamila Toderas

It will be a first for a multi-dwelling residential development in Canberra, according to battery provider Natural Solar.

The company will develop the project, dubbed St Arbour, with Sydney-based K2 Development Group.

Natural Solar has partnered with battery installer, Sonnen and a 7.5 kilowatt/hour battery from the Germany company will store power for the development.

This power would come from solar panels that would be charged during the day and then stored in the battery for use in the evening.

There will also be the option to join batteries together to form a virtual power plant.

Natural Solar has claimed each homeowner would save up to $1638 in the first year.

“This is a huge step forward for Canberra and the ACT as a whole,” Natural Solar chief executive Chris Williams said.

“This is something that Canberra has never before seen and will certainly make a statement for what is possible with smart batteries and energy storage.”

There will be 10 three-bedroom townhouses in the development, which will be built by Canberra-based Decca Building Group.

Real estate agent Will Honey of Independent helped with planning the development.

“There is no doubt St. Arbour was truly developed with sustainability and the environment at the forefront,” he said.

“We’ve seen a growing trend among Australian homeowners who want to do their part for the planet and know that first and foremost, this starts at home.”

The development is also proposed to have electric vehicle charging stations, communal gardens and grey water recycling tanks.

It comes as the ACT government announced plans in September to deliver a large-scale battery to the territory that would have the capability to bring power to 25,000 households across the territory.

“The huge push for consumers for the benefit of solar and battery power from day one of owning a home are huge,” Mr Williams said.

“This just proves there is a statewide shift in the ACT to throw away fossil fuel and focus on a greener future.”

Natural Solar’s Chris Williams said he believed solar batteries would become a standard inclusion within 24 to 36 months.

“We are now at an inflection point where solar and batteries are on the way towards becoming a standard inclusion across most new masterplanned developments,” Mr Williams said.

Two-bedroom townhouses are priced from $457,000-$467,000. Three-bedroom townhouses cost $507,000-$533,000 and four-bedroom townhouses are $547,000.

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These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes a general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on Energy Locals Time of Use Tariff – (TOU – Peak, Off-Peak & Solar Sponge).

The reference price is set by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) for a financial year in relation to electricity supply to residential customers in the distribution region and is based on an assumed annual usage amount. Any difference between the reference price and the unconditional price of a plan is expressed as a percentage more or less than the reference price. The terms of any conditional discounts are shown, along with any further difference between the reference price and the discount applied if a condition is met, expressed as a percentage more or less than the reference price.