Anyone who has ever tripped over an electrical flex strung across a pavement, or spent hours looking for a charging point for their electric vehicle (EV) will tell you the same thing: It’s about time we started designing homes with EVs and sustainability in mind rather than just as an afterthought.

This was the intention behind the Australian Institute of Energy’s (AIE) latest event where members were treated to a thought provoking afternoon at the new East Village Precinct, Fremantle. 

The precinct was sponsored by the Australian Federal government and the City of Fremantle and developed by DevelopmentWA. The East Village Precinct is about embracing “One Planet Living lifestyle” for all its residential developments.

While the event had its sights firmly on the future, the event showed how easy sustainable living can be.

This event was held at Curtin University’s Legacy Living Lab on the theme of “the circular economy”. Present were a gamut of energy sector members, including Western Power, Hydrogen Energy, AGL, Clean Energy Council, FutureGrid Energy, ATCO Gas Australia, Perdaman Advanced Energy, Gemtek Group, Yeoman, and Powerledger.

The application stores any excess solar energy to a 670 kWh battery, which is owned by Powerledger. This will power the new build houses and it’s anticipated that grid reliance will be reduced by up to 80%.

Further utilizing the xGrid application from Powerledger, the battery will also be used to support two neighbouring developments. The payback time of the battery can be further shortened by giving it an extra set of duties: This battery will also participate in another project with Western Power to deliver grid services, and the dual use is key to the Powerledger’s system design.

‘This project shows Powerledger’s technical ability to integrate distributed energy resources behind the meter. By giving the battery a dual purpose, we can show how distributed energy resources support the resiliency of the local distribution network,’ said Vinod Tiwari, Powerledger’s Head of Business Development.

The initial stage of development at East Village comprises 36 architecturally designed homes with a total capacity of 6.6 kW solar PV (per home) and a 670 kWh battery (for the entire development). Developers interested in doing similar projects should contact Caren McLaren. 

And anyone looking for an elegant place to live should note there’s not an electrical flex hazard in sight.

Extra information: East Village at Knutsford encompasses the One Planet Living vision for a sustainable world to continually reduce the environmental costs of operations, contribute to a more equitable society and build a thriving and diverse local economy.