SYDNEY, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The Queensland State Government in Australia will extend battery storage trials for residential homes in the city of Townsville, it announced Tuesday.
Plagued with surging power prices, the state's electricity bills have soared 150 percent over the past eight years, leaving the government looking for innovative solutions to the problem.
"New batteries have been installed in the participating nine homes including a Tesla Powerwall in one of them, along with new advanced home energy management systems (HEMS)," Queensland Energy Minister Mark Bailey said in a statement.
"The trial will explore the advanced functionalities of new HEMS, battery storage, solar PV and a new tariff being trialled for the first time."
The approach will also provide participants with information regarding their energy consumption in an attempt to encourage them to minimize their use during peak demand.
"This combination of ongoing engagement, technology and behavior changes should lower participants' average demand for the month which could translate into lower power bills," Bailey said.
One of the first to sign up to the original trial in 2011, Barry Lowe, said he was very happy to continue the initiative, adding that "Aesthetically the Powerwall is great."
Although the scheme has ran successfully, the near 10,000-U.S. dollar price tag for a Tesla Powerwall might mean the rest of the state will have to wait quite some time if they want to implement their own.
