Australian Politics Forum

A toxic blaze at the site of Australia's largest Tesla battery project is set to burn throughout the night.

The fire broke out during testing of a Tesla megapack at the Victorian Big Battery site near Geelong.

A 13-tonne lithium battery was engulfed in flames, which then spread to an adjacent battery bank.

More than 150 people from Fire Rescue Victoria and the Country Fire Authority responded to the blaze, which has been contained and will be closely monitored until it burns itself out.

"If we try and cool them down it just prolongs the process," the CFA's Assistant Chief Fire Officer Ian Beswicke said.

"But we could be here anywhere from 8 to 24 hours while we wait for it to burn down."

The Tesla battery is expected to become the largest battery in the southern hemisphere as part of a Victorian Government push to transition to renewable energy.

Ambulance Victoria members are also on site monitoring the health of firefighters.

A toxic smoke warning has been issued near Geelong.

Residents have been warned to close windows, close fireplace flues and bring their pets inside in the Batesford, Bell Post Hill, Lovely Banks and Moorabool areas.

No-one was injured and the site has been evacuated.

Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) said the battery had been isolated and disconnected from the main electricity grid and “there are no implications” for supply.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-30/tesla-battery-fire-moorabool-geelong/100337488

And here we have the reason that batteries are not a good idea on such a large scale....where are the environazis now?

Belgarion wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 12:52pm:

And here we have the reason that batteries are not a good idea on such a large scale....where are the environazis now?

Your luddite presumption is battery technology will not evolve.

Belgarion wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 12:52pm:

And here we have the reason that batteries are not a good idea on such a large scale....where are the environazis now?

Using that logic, here is a reason why coal generators are not a good idea large scale ...

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/may/26/coal-fired-power-plant-that-caused-queensland-blackouts-broke-down-eight-times-in-past-year

caused a blackout across almost half the state ... how much of SA lost it's power supply due to the battery fire?

John Smith wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 1:24pm:

Belgarion wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 12:52pm:

And here we have the reason that batteries are not a good idea on such a large scale....where are the environazis now?

This was only a test run.... ::)

Ayn Marx wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 1:21pm:

Belgarion wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 12:52pm:

And here we have the reason that batteries are not a good idea on such a large scale....where are the environazis now?

Your luddite presumption is battery technology will not evolve.

Your faith in so-called 'renewables' is disturbing.....Nuclear is the only viable option.

Ayn Marx wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 1:21pm:

Your luddite presumption is battery technology will not evolve.

So are you saying that current battery technology is not fit for purpose?

lee wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 2:49pm:

Ayn Marx wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 1:21pm:

Your luddite presumption is battery technology will not evolve.

So are you saying that current battery technology is not fit for purpose?

Isn’t that obvious? My central point however was simply that technology advances and evolves.

Belgarion wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 2:04pm:

Ayn Marx wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 1:21pm:

Belgarion wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 12:52pm:

And here we have the reason that batteries are not a good idea on such a large scale....where are the environazis now?

Your luddite presumption is battery technology will not evolve.

Your faith in so-called 'renewables' is disturbing.....Nuclear is the only viable option.

Then why are so many nations dumping it? It’s not because they’re becomming fashionalbly green.

Ayn Marx wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 3:00pm:

Then why are so many nations dumping it? It’s not because they’re becomming fashionalbly green.

Actually it is. Australian Greens, Germany Greens,

Germany's Energiewende is in disarray. It has reopened coal plant.

"Despite Climate Concerns, Germany Bulldozes Land To Expand Coal Mines"

"Ten years ago, Germany promised to phase out nuclear power. And Chancellor Angela Merkel got the nickname the climate chancellor. But Germany is the largest miner of lignite coal, one of the dirtiest and cheapest fossil fuels. It's responsible for a fifth of Germany's carbon emissions. And as NPR's Rob Schmitz found out, old villages are still being bulldozed to make way for expanding coal mines."

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/29/1011201118/despite-climate-concerns-germany-bulldozes-land-to-expand-coal-mines

"Coal plants and nuclear reactors shut down while energy demand expected to rise after Covid restrictions"

"Great Britain faces its greatest risk of blackouts for six years this winter as old coal plants and nuclear reactors shut down and energy demand rises as the economy emerges from Covid-19 restrictions."

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jul/22/great-britain-faces-risk-of-winter-blackouts-system-operator-warns

People aren't willing to spend when there is very heavy liability of environmental and greens opposition.

Ayn Marx wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 2:58pm:

lee wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 2:49pm:

Ayn Marx wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 1:21pm:

Your luddite presumption is battery technology will not evolve.

So are you saying that current battery technology is not fit for purpose?

Isn’t that obvious? My central point however was simply that technology advances and evolves.

So we have inadequate batteries to back up Weather Dependent Renewables. And something in the future might be better than the inadequate batteries. That doesn't seem like a ringing endorsement of renewables.

lee wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 3:41pm:

Ayn Marx wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 2:58pm:

lee wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 2:49pm:

Ayn Marx wrote on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 1:21pm:

Your luddite presumption is battery technology will not evolve.

So are you saying that current battery technology is not fit for purpose?

Isn’t that obvious? My central point however was simply that technology advances and evolves.

We must remember that 'renewables' is a marketing term, not a scientific or engineering one.

This clean, green, renewable energy source has burned for 4 days.....what sort of carbon footprint has the clouds of toxic gas and the lethal sludge left behind generated? ::)

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/aug/02/tesla-big-battery-fire-in-victoria-burns-into-day-three

Same thing happened in China when the regime stole the technology, to make Tesla ripoffs... Many of the ripoff cars literally burst into flames while being driven on the road.

So we have "renewables", an intermittent energy source; no fit for purpose battery backup.

They seem to have the cart before the horse. Or before the wheel. ;)

lee wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2021 at 12:08pm:

So we have "renewables", an intermittent energy source; no fit for purpose battery backup.

They seem to have the cart before the horse. Or before the wheel. ;)

Speaking of wheels do you know anything about the reliability of the first automobiles?

It appears that the battery buildings are a bad design and fire was shooting out of ventilation openings which demonstrates that they had no means of closing air inlets and outlets with fire dampers.

Tesla has also been exposed for using insulation materials on wiring in Tesla cars that are not fire-resistant.

It appears that Tesla are far from expert in designing fire-safe battery systems.

Belgarion wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2021 at 10:24am:

It took 150 firefighters and more than 30 firetrucks to bring it under control.

https://news.cfa.vic.gov.au/firefighters-bring-large-battery-fire-near-geelong-under-control

If i was going to buy a Tesla battery i would locate it away from anything i don't want burnt down somehwere easy for fire crews to access.

Ayn Marx wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2021 at 12:27pm:

lee wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2021 at 12:08pm:

So we have "renewables", an intermittent energy source; no fit for purpose battery backup.

They seem to have the cart before the horse. Or before the wheel. ;)

Speaking of wheels do you know anything about the reliability of the first automobiles?

Yes. They were a new technology. Which ones were you interested in? Invented the late 1800's. I know the model T had a wooden coil box. That used to get arc runs down it. It was simply to fix - cut out the burn marks with a knife. Gravity fed fuel - reverse up hill.

As opposed to wind power, since 1st century AD, used for grinding corn etc; that was replaced by electricity.

Solar since 7BC, solar cooking since 1767 etc.

Batteries since 1748. Of course lithium battery pioneering work only since 1912.

So all in all Automobiles are the new kid on the block. ;)

Speaking of BIG batteries ... bloody French again!!!

Regulator sues Tesla Big Battery in Federal Court over power grid promises

Australia’s Tesla Big Battery, one of the world’s biggest lithium-ion batteries, is facing legal action amid allegations it failed to deliver on its promise of providing services essential to maintaining the stability of the power grid.

The Australian Energy Regulator has filed Federal Court proceedings against the Tesla Big Battery, known as the Hornsdale Power Reserve, which is owned and operated by French renewable energy giant Neoen.

Tesla’s ‘big battery’ in Hornsdale, South Australia.CREDIT: NEOEN

It is alleged the Hornsdale Power Reserve failed to provide “frequency control ancillary services” – services used to maintain the safe operations of the grid following power disruptions – despite making offers and receiving payment from the market operator to be on stand-by to provide them.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Tesla built the huge battery in a remote area of South Australia in 2017. Paired with the adjacent Hornsdale wind farm, the 150-megawatt battery with 193 megawatt-hours of storage has helped reduce intermittency and manage increased demand during periods when the grid is under the most strain.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) informed the regulator of Hornsdale’s alleged conduct after a power system disruption at Queensland’s Kogan Creek power station in October 2019.

Hornsdale’s failure to provide the services as promised “undermined AEMO’s ability to maintain frequency” and put the power system’s security and stability at risk, the regulator said.

“It is vital that generators do what they say they can do if we’re going to keep the lights on through the market’s transition to variable renewable generation,” Australian Energy Regulator chair Clare Savage said.

“AEMO relies on accurate information and compliance with offers and dispatch instructions to ensure it can effectively stabilise frequency deviations.“

The regulator said it was seeking penalties, declarations and costs.

Neoen Australia managing director Louis de Sambucy said Hornsdale had repeatedly delivered on the high expectations of its performance and market impact since beginning operations in 2017, “proving itself to be a critical component of the South Australian electricity network”.

“Whilst we are disappointed by the AER decision, we will continue to maintain our collaborative relationship with them,” he said.

In its first two years of operation, the construction of the Tesla Big Battery has saved consumers more than $150 million, according to Neoen.

A report by Aurecon in 2019 found the big battery had reduced the cost of frequency control ancillary services in the National Electricity Market by about $116 million in 2019.

Tesla’s Hornsdale project kickstarted a wave of Australian big batteries – technology considered key to supporting the greater uptake of renewables by overcoming the problem of intermittency when it is not sunny or windy.

Big batteries capture and store excess power generated during times when conditions for renewable energy are most favourable, and then release it when it’s needed during peak-usage periods such as during heatwaves.

https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/regulator-sues-tesla-big-battery-in-federal-court-over-power-grid-promises-20210923-p58u1b.html

Australian Politics Forum
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl Member Run Boards >> Environment >> Tesla Battery fire http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1627695101 Message started by lee on Jul 31^st, 2021 at 11:31am