Ararat Rural City Council has partnered with Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance (CVGA) to deliver a state-of-the-art energy backup system for the Pomonal Community Hall, a key community hub, meeting space, and the designated emergency relief and recovery centre.

The Hall played a central role in supporting residents during and after bushfires that swept through the region in February 2024.

The agreement has been made as part of the CVGA-led Powering Resilience in the Regions (PRITR) Project, funded under Round 2 of the Victorian Government’s 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Program.

Through this partnership, the Hall will soon be equipped with a 25kW/50kWh battery energy storage system integrated with solar panels, providing up to two days of backup power for emergency and essential services, even when the electricity grid goes down.

The project will help ensure that Pomonal Community Hall will continue to operate as a safe haven for residents during emergencies, while also lowering long-term energy costs for the community and reducing reliance on diesel generators.

The energy cost savings and equipment lease revenues generated from the backup system will be reinvested into further community initiatives.

The project is scheduled for completion in the 2025-2026 financial year, with installation works to commence following all regulatory and grid-connection approvals.