Battery installation starting at Benalla Library in early July 2026

A new community battery is coming to the Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop Library. Installation starts in early July 2026 and will take around two to three weeks. The Library will stay open as usual, with only minor disruptions during the works.

What’s happening

We’re installing a 59kW/224kWh battery at the Library. It connects to the Library’s existing solar panels. If the power goes out, the battery can keep key parts of the Library running for one to two days. It can also recharge from solar to last even longer.

This turns the Library into an energy resilience hub. When the grid goes down, locals can come to a safe place to charge phones, get information, and stay connected.

When works are happening

Works start in early July 2026 and take about two to three weeks. We’ll do the job in two stages:

• Week one: Crews lay a concrete pad for the battery.
• Week two: A large crane lifts the battery into place.

Any work that means we need to limit access to the Library will happen outside normal Library hours. This keeps disruptions to a minimum.

What this means for Library visitors

• The Library stays open. All Library services run as usual.
• Temporary fencing. We’ll put up fencing around the work area to keep everyone safe.
• Some car parks closed. A few car parks won’t be available for a short time.
• Top carpark. During the works, the top carpark is for disabled parking and prams only.

Thanks for your patience while we get the job done.

Benefits for the community

The battery brings real, lasting value to Benalla:

• Backup power. One to two days of power for the Library during an outage.
• A safe place to go. An energy resilience hub to access an airconditioned space with Wi-Fi connection and power to recharge small devices when the grid goes down.
• Lower power bills. Savings that can go back into local services and programs.
• More solar, less waste. The battery stores excess local solar energy so we use more of what we generate.

Who’s behind the project

This project is 95 per cent funded by the Victorian Government through its 100 Neighbourhood Batteries Program (Round 2). Council is contributing the remaining 5 per cent.

We’re delivering the project with the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance and contractor Indigo Power, alongside nine other regional councils. Working together helps us share costs and deliver a better result for our community.