South Australia has announced Elon Musk's Tesla as the principal builder of the world's largest lithium ion battery to expand the state's renewable energy supply.
Tesla to build world's largest battery
Elon Musk's Tesla will be installing the world's largest lithium-ion battery storage project in South Australia. Video courtesy ABC News.
The mega-project will be built in conjunction with French renewable energy firm Neoen and paired with Neoen's existing Hornsdale Wind Farm near Jamestown, north of Adelaide.
SA Premier Jay Weatherill said the "extraordinary collaboration" would deliver a grid-scale battery that would "stabilise the South Australian network as well as putting downward pressure on prices".
"Battery storage is the future of our national energy market, and the eyes of the world will be following our leadership in this space," he said.
The project is intended to sustain 100 megawatts of power and store 129 megawatt hours, which could power about 30,000 homes according to Tesla. That was more than three times as powerful as the world's next-largest such battery, Mr Musk said on Friday.
The billionaire entrepreneur, who first expressed interest in the project over Twitter in March, promised to stick by his pledge to have the system installed and operating within 100 days from signing a contract "or it is free".
"That's what we said publicly, that's what we're going to do," Mr Musk said.
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| "There was an opportunity to make a significant statement to the world about renewable energy," said Tesla boss Elon Musk. Photo: ABC |
"It's a fundamental efficiency improvement to the power grid, and it's really quite necessary and quite obvious considering a renewable energy future," Mr Musk said.
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| South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill (right) with Treasurer and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis. Photo: AAP |
South Australia's electricity troubles, including numerous blackouts, have become a politically contentious issue between the state and federal governments, amid debate about the capacity of renewable energy.
A freak storm in September destroyed transmission lines, triggering backup systems. A key interstate connector with Victoria was ultimately tripped "off" due to automatic safety precautions. But early responses from Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg and other commentators pinned some of the blame on the state's reliance on renewables.
In a final report, the Australian Energy Market Operator said a higher reliance on "non-synchronous" forms of energy such as wind and solar meant the power grid was "experiencing more periods with low inertia and low available fault levels", and was more susceptible in times of crisis.
"AEMO is working with industry on ways to use the capability of these new types of power generation to build resilience to extreme events," the report noted.
Tesla, which had become the most valuable carmaker in the US, has seen its share value fall by 20 per cent since June 22, losing $US12 billion ($15.8 billion) in market capitalisation.
Links
- Elon Musk announces Tesla's plan to build world's biggest lithium ion battery in South Australia – video
- South Australia to get $1bn solar farm and world's biggest battery
- Windfarm settings triggered South Australian blackout, final energy report finds
- South Australia to build battery storage and gas-fired power plant in $550m energy plan
- Turnbull under pressure as gas supply takes centre stage in power crisis
- Battery-makers on Turnbull's Tesla chat: 'Give Australian companies a fair go'
- Elon Musk and Malcolm Turnbull talk battery solutions for energy problems
- Elon Musk: I can fix South Australia power network in 100 days or it's free
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