Wat Phra Dhammakaya Albury has taken a bold step toward energy independence by installing enough solar panels to generate three times more electricity than we use. For a time, this meant that the excess energy exported to the grid not only supported the broader community but also covered our own electricity costs during cloudy days and nights.

However, since September 2024, the solar feed-in tariff has dropped to just 5c/kWh, making it no longer viable to rely on export earnings to offset the cost of imported electricity. This shift has prompted many solar communities like ours to rethink how we manage and store our energy.

Fortunately, a new opportunity has emerged. Beginning 1 July 2025, the Australian Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program offers a 30% rebate on the cost of installing home or community battery systems. This rebate makes it significantly more affordable to store our solar energy and use it when the sun isn’t shining—maximising our self-reliance and reducing our electricity bills.

By investing in battery storage now, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Albury can take the next step in our clean energy journey. We’re not just a solar-powered community—we’re building our own Mini Clean Energy Power Plant (with our existing 15 kW solar system and a newly installed 20 kWh battery). It’s a vision of sustainability and self-sufficiency.

This initiative will allow us to power essential needs at the lowest cost for many years to come—lighting, cooking, audiovisual, and climate control—so we can continue to practise the Dhamma in comfort and peace.

If you would like to make merit by supporting this project, donations can be made to:

The Good Friends Albury Inc.

BSB: 082406

Acc: 713485490