What if the key to long-term energy resilience was not imported technology, but the ability to make, repair and adapt energy storage right here in Taranaki?
As Aotearoa transitions away from fossil fuels, affordable energy storage that can provide power for several days remains a significant challenge. Most batteries available today are designed for short-term, daily energy shifting and rely on complex international supply chains.
The Taranaki Community Battery Skunkworks (TCBS) is a community-driven project exploring a different approach: developing a low-cost, open-source, locally repairable battery capable of providing energy for up to 100 hours.
The project is being developed by Community Energy Taranaki (CET), with support from a growing network of technical, community and industry partners. The Bishop’s Action Foundation (BAF) is acting as fundholder and providing back-office support.
The aim is not simply to develop a battery. It is to build local capability for Taranaki’s energy future — bringing together community knowledge, engineering, practical skills and local resources to develop energy storage that people and communities can understand, maintain and ultimately manufacture locally.
The project is investigating open-source electrochemical battery technologies and the use of locally available and repurposed materials. The intention is to develop simple, robust, extra-low-voltage systems that can work alongside solar and other renewable generation, while creating opportunities for local manufacturing, repair and reconditioning.
A locally developed long-duration battery could provide valuable resilience during extended power outages and extreme weather events, help households and community facilities make better use of renewable electricity, and reduce dependence on imported technology. It could also create practical pathways for people with skills from Taranaki’s changing energy sector to contribute to the renewable energy economy.
The project is deliberately open source and collaborative. We are looking for people and organisations who want to help design, build, test, improve and ultimately commercialise locally made long-duration energy storage.
Keen to get involved? We welcome co-developers, engineers and technical specialists, community testing groups, industry partners, educators, funders and anyone interested in building Taranaki’s energy resilience. To find out more or get involved, contact Community Energy Taranaki: communityenergytaranaki@gmail.com
The project has emerged through engagement with CET and the Taranaki Community Energy Activator programme, drawing on the Community Energy Guide developed by Ara Ake.
We gratefully acknowledge the support and collaboration of Toi Foundation, BAF and Community Energy Taranaki.