Yarra Ranges Council was successfully awarded $10 Million for a $13.4M Program through the Federal Government’s Preparing Australian Communities Fund. A portion of this funding has been allocated to the Resilient Energy Precinct microgrid feasibility study in Monbulk.
This project will link the Monbulk Sporting Pavilion and Monbulk Living and Learning Centre together to share power, as well as enable local renewable generation and energy storage at both sites.
Works Update:
As part of the Monbulk Resilient Energy Project, a shipping container will be installed near the Monbulk Living and Learning Centre to house critical equipment for the Monbulk microgrid.
This container is part of Monbulk microgrid feasibility study undertaken in 2024-25, and will provide off-grid emergency power to key community buildings, including:
Find the latest work update here.
What is a Microgrid
A interconnected network for electricity delivery from producers to consumers over a wide area is known as an energy grid. A microgrid is a scaled down version of an energy grid; it operates on a local scale to connect businesses and homes to nearby energy resources such as solar panels and battery storage.
Why use microgrids?
Power from mains networks can be disrupted for many reasons including power shortages or cuts, scheduled maintenance, or damage to the infrastructure because of storms or fires. This leaves community members without power, sometimes for extensive periods.
Microgrids can be powered by generators, batteries and/or renewable resources such as solar panels, enabling them to disconnect from the wider energy grid and continue powering homes and businesses.
If a microgrid is fuelled by renewable energy it can enhance energy resilience during emergency events and can potentially reduce energy costs and reliance on fossil fuels.
A microgrid:
- coordinates local energy resources – including renewable energy sources – to provide secure and reliable electricity locally
- can disconnect from the traditional grid and operate autonomously
- can improve community resilience by providing backup at times of emergencies
- can be used to reduce costs or provide services back to the main grid
- can help communities reach net-zero emissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Monbulk Sports Pavilion and the Monbulk Living and Learning Centre will form part of the microgrid. The two buildings will produce, store and share renewable energy between them. This will require changes to the electrical configuration of the two buildings, as well as the addition of solar to the pavilion and a centralised battery.
The Living and Learning Centre has existing solar infrastructure which will be used to contribute energy to the microgrid.
The microgrid will still be connected to the main electricity grid, so at times where the solar production and energy stored in the battery is not enough to power the two buildings, the buildings will be able to draw electricity from the main electricity network/grid to power the buildings.
In the event of a power outage, the microgrid will have the ability to disconnect from the main network, forming a small grid (or microgrid). The microgrid will include only two buildings (the Living and Learning Centre and the Sports Pavilion), and will be powered by the solar panels on these buildings and the stored energy in the shared battery. This microgrid will be able to operate independently of the main electricity grid.
During a power outage, the microgrid will be able to disconnect from the main electricity grid, forming a small grid (or microgrid) that is able to operate independently of the main grid (this is called ‘islanding’).
The microgrid will include the Sports Pavilion and the Living and Learning Centre. The connection between these two buildings, along with the battery that they will both be connected to, will allow the buildings to share the energy that is produced by their rooftop solar. This means that the buildings will be able to continue operating even while the main electricity network is down.
The microgrid will be operational upon completion of construction works, which are expected to be finished by March 2025.
The activation of the microgrid will be determined based on consultation with community, emergency services, tenants of the community buildings, and other stakeholders.
This consultation will take place in mid to late 2024.
The project will add solar PV to the Sports Pavilion. This means that the Pavilion will use clean, renewable solar energy. While the Living and Learning Centre already has solar PV installed, the addition of the battery will allow both buildings to store their clean renewable energy so that even at night, when the solar panels are not operating due to lack of sunlight, the buildings can run on the stored solar energy from the battery.
There are no plans to expand the microgrid at this stage, though as outlined in the Resilient Energy Precinct feasibility study, in the future it may be possible to add other buildings to the microgrid and incorporate the use of power sharing agreements.
Further reading
Yarra Ranges partnered with Monash University, Birdwood Energy, and n0de, to conduct the feasibility study. The feasibility outcomes were published in May 2024, outlining the opportunities and barriers for the implementation of a Local Energy System (microgrid) in Monbulk.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out more?
Please email sustainability@yarraranges.vic.gov.au for more information and/or to join our mailing list for project updates.
As part of the Monbulk Resilient Energy Project, a shipping container will be installed near the Monbulk Living and Learning Centre to house critical equipment for the Monbulk microgrid.
This container is part of Monbulk microgrid feasibility study undertaken in 2024-25, and will provide off-grid emergency power to key community buildings, including:
- Monbulk Living and Learning Centre
- Monbulk Pavilion
Council has been working with a panel of community members to select an artist who will collaborate with local students to design and paint a vibrant mural.
This initiative will transform this infrastructure into public art, reflecting Monbulk and celebrating community values.
Community groups involved in the panel artist selection include:
- Mums of the Hills
- MADCOW
- Monbulk Girl Guides
- Tribe Monbulk Youth Inc
Works commenced on 27 February, 2025 and will be complete March 31.
One of the key aspects of this project is the opportunity for young people to play a central role in shaping the look of the container and Council will be working with local schools and youth groups who will participate in the painting of the container.
The container is essential for housing key equipment related to the Microgrid project, including a battery that will store energy as well as a fixed generator, to be used in times of emergencies and power outages.
The Microgrid will provide off-grid power for recovery and relief to the Monbulk Link and Community Pavilion which in turn will help the community during emergencies, enhancing Monbulk's resilience and playing a crucial role in making the community’s energy future more sustainable.
The location of the container was carefully selected to meet the technical requirements of the project. The battery must service both the Monbulk Link and the Community Pavilion and needs to be centrally located between them and close to the street power feed. The location also minimizes the impact on trees, maintains a setback from Moores Rd, and reduces visual bulk, ensuring minimal disruption to the surrounding environment, including Wellington Cottage.
Although other sites were considered, the current site is the most suitable given the technical constraints and community feedback.
The location of the container cannot be moved to the site of the demolished public toilets, as the Microgrid project requires proximity to both the Monbulk Link and Community Pavilion buildings to provide emergency off-grid power.
The container must also be located within a site boundary that cannot cross title lines. Unfortunately, the site options were limited, and after consultation with community representatives on-site, this location was selected as the best option.
Extensive consultation has taken place regarding the feasibility of the Microgrid project, including public meetings throughout 2023 and into 2024.
This resulted in the confirmation of the project, with the final decision on the site and the project’s parameters made in consultation with community representatives in Monbulk.
In December 2024, consultation regarding the location of the battery specifically occurred on-site with key community groups.
Given the constraints of the site and the technical requirements, alternative locations for the container were extremely limited and in collaboration with the community this site was chosen.
We are working closely with local schools, artists, and community groups to create a mural for the container that reflects the spirit of Monbulk. The involvement of the youth in Monbulk through local schools, as well as community groups such as Mums of the Hill’s, MADCOW, and the Girl Guides, in the artistic process will help transform the container into a piece of public art that represents the community’s values and creativity.
This will not only improve the aesthetics but also help the container become an integral part of the local landscape and something that the younger generation can look and reflect on.
No trees will be removed as part of the project. There may be some light pruning of the marked tree, but this will be done under the supervision of the Council’s arborist. The container has been placed further back from Moores Rd in order to protect the oak trees on-site.
We understand that any large structure can impact views, and we regret that the container might affect the gathering space.
However, the container’s placement was selected to minimise disruption to the surrounding areas, including the view from the Monbulk Link. The mural and artwork project is an effort to create a more positive visual experience, and we are hopeful the community will embrace the container as part of Monbulk’s evolving identity. We also recognise the opportunity for broader community involvement in this aspect of the project.
The storage container is located on the southern side of the site, which minimises overshadowing of the Girl Guides garden.
We are aware of the garden's importance and have taken this into consideration in the planning process.
The table tennis table will stay undisturbed in its current location. We will not be removing the table tennis table and it will remain open for community use.
We will continue to provide updates via the local newsletter, our website, and through community meetings. We encourage everyone to stay involved and share any thoughts or concerns they may have as the project progresses by visiting: There are also flyer available regarding the work, located in the foyer of the Living and Learning Centre.