Inside the Monbulk microgrid keeping the lights on

The Monbulk Microgrid has kept power running at two Monbulk community buildings through outages over the past 12 months.

The microgrid has been providing backup power for Monbulk Sporting Pavilion and Monbulk Living and Learning Centre to keep the lights on when outages hit.

A recent awards night at the pavilion saw a power outage, but “most people wouldn’t have had a clue that we were running off backup power”, according to Monbulk and District Community Working Group (MADCOW) vice president Paul Utting.

🔋 Backup power: Stephanie Bashir from energy policy consultants Nexa Advisory said batteries of all scales play an important role in strengthening the electricity network.

• 🗣️ “Household batteries protect individual homes, neighbourhood batteries help manage local solar and peak demand and large-scale batteries support the broader grid,” Bashir told the Eastern Melburnian. “For a community [like Monbulk] facing a multi-day outage, the biggest difference comes from a resilience hub — solar, batteries, islanding equipment and backup generation at a trusted local facility.”

⚡ Creating connections: An energy backup system combines solar, battery storage and generators to maintain power during outages.

• The State Government has provided funding towards energy backup systems at community hubs in 27 towns, including Healesville, Monbulk, Mount Dandenong, Olinda, Sassafras and Warburton.

• A microgrid is a small-scale electricity network using local generation and battery storage. Some can operate independently from the main grid during outages — known as “islanding” — helping communities remain connected when the power goes out for lengthy periods.

• If a microgrid produces more power than is required, it can feed that electricity back into the main grid, earning feed-in tariffs for the microgrid operator.

🔌 Off-grid solutions: Following storms in June 2021 that saw a maximum of about 530,000 homes and businesses without power across the state, including in Monbulk, Yarra Ranges Council secured a $10 million Federal Government grant for a $13.4 million disaster resilience program.

• Operational since June 2025, the Monbulk Microgrid consists of a shipping container housing a battery capable of storing enough electricity - generated by 265 solar panels - to power the Monbulk Sporting Pavilion and Monbulk Living and Learning Centre for 24 hours. 

💡 Keeping the lights on: Founded in the early 2000s, MADCOW is a not-for-profit organisation representing 47 local community groups in advocating for development, such as co-ordinating emergency response programs, spearheading township beautification and infrastructure projects and representing residents in town planning and development.

Vice president Paul Utting said the microgrid system provides a community-based backup during widespread outages, storm events or bushfires.

• In those situations, the two buildings can operate as refuge centres where residents can shower, charge devices and access facilities.

• 🗣️ “We basically want to be self-reliant for three days,” Utting said.