Brighton Homes Arena secures funding for sustainable energy

The Federal Government, through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), is funding two batteries for the Brisbane Lions’ AFL and AFLW club at Brighton Homes Arena to help the lights stay on and power a community gym.

Batteries help stabilise the energy grid, improve energy reliability and bring energy bills down for good. They soak up excess solar during the day and send it back to the grid at night when electricity demand is at its peak.

Momentum Energy, a subsidiary of Hydro Tasmania, has received over $11 million from ARENA to build 39 batteries across Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, including two at the Brisbane Lions’ HQ. Other sites include a major university, aged care homes, and small-scale agricultural solar farms.

The Brisbane Lions’ batteries have a combined capacity of 700kW/1,400 kWh and will use locally generated solar toward powering field lights at night, with excess solar feeding back into the local grid. The batteries have capacity equivalent to peak demand of around 170 homes in South East Queensland every day.

The Lions are also investing in a 770kW solar system, public EV charging infrastructure, and workplace charging for players and staff.

ARENA is now seeking applications from interested parties for grants to deploy batteries which demonstrate community benefits, build industry capacity and help support more rooftop solar and small-scale renewables on the grid.

Battery applications will share in the $46.3 million available for round two, must be between 50 kW and 5 MW and connected to the distribution network.