Tesla will up its game in the renewable energy storage market with the largest lithium-ion battery storage facility in the world, to be built for Australia’s Hornsdale Wind Farm, with a completion date of December 1, 2017. The facility will use Tesla’s commercial battery storage Powerpack modules to deliver a capacity of 100 MW/129 MWh, which will store energy generated from the farm’s turbines during peak generation hours, and make it available consistently throughout the day when the grid needs it.
This system will be able to power around 30,000 homes at max capacity, which Tesla says is equivalent to how many were without power during a storm that caused a state-wide blackout in South Australia in 2016. The real goal, however, is to help stabilize the South Australian electric power grid, by controlling power delivery according to peak demand. Tesla adds that its Powerwall home battery storage devices are also being installed for residential customers in the country, which can further aid with grid stabilization.
Tesla has already built a large-scale energy storage facility for the Hawaiian island of Kauai, and at the system’s opening Tesla co-founder and CTO JB Straubel explained to me that Powerpack-based systems had potential for applications across renewable energy generation methods, beyond just solar. This wind-based installation, combined with its scale, is another signal to the world that Tesla’s energy offerings can fit a range of needs.
“Battery storage is the future of our national energy market, and the eyes of the world will be following our leadership in this space,” South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill wrote in a statement provided via email.
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