A Moment of Opportunity: Batteries, Grants & the Future of Clean Energy for Community Sites
- Freja Lundström
- Jul 15, 2025
- 2 min read
Round 3 Grants for the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative in Victoria, Australia
Grants Open 16 July 2025: As Victoria pushes forward on its clean energy transition, a significant opportunity has opened up for community sites, outdoor education centres, and camps across the state. With the recent launch of Round 3 of the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative (NBI), organisations now have access to funding that could reshape their energy future — and Nyawi is here to help make that happen.
Why This Matters
At Nyawi, we work with businesses, schools, local councils, camps, and not-for-profits who often sit at the frontline of rising energy costs, ageing infrastructure, and increasing pressure to reduce emissions. These groups are rarely prioritised in the commercial energy landscape — but they are exactly the kinds of organisations that need support the most.
That’s why the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative matters. It allows sites to access battery storage systems (and in many cases solar as well), improve resilience during outages, and dramatically reduce energy bills — all while showcasing environmental leadership.
What the Grant Offers
Installation of battery storage systems (standalone or paired with solar)
Backup power capabilities for critical loads
Monitoring systems and future expandability
Projects that benefit local communities and education-focused programs
It’s not just for big energy players. In fact, smaller sites — especially those with a clear social or educational purpose — are often ideal candidates.
“"The Nyawi Sustainability Consulting team successfully led the proposal on behalf of YMCA Victoria Discovery Camps, resulting in the camps receiving funding from DEECA for 6 x battery systems, through Round 2 of the Neighbourhood Battery Initiative (NBI) program."
How Nyawi Can Help
We’ve already supported successful fundraising applications including major outdoor education providers, such as a $1M solar PV rollout across six Victorian camps as well as a Battery Project Victorian State government grant for AUD $2.3m to design, install, commission and deliver energised BESS renewable energy systems.
From feasibility to final commissioning, our team handles:
Technical scoping and system design
Grant writing and submission
Budget structuring and compliance
Long-term energy strategy and monitoring
In some cases, we’ve even offered pro bono support for organisations where the mission aligns with our own.
