https://electrek.co/2018/12/03/tesla-virtual-power-plant-powerwall-australia/
Tesla’s plan to deploy 50,000 Powerwalls in Australia in order to create a giant virtual power plant is moving forward with 1,000 more homes as part of the second phase.

The project is the biggest of its kind and it would dwarf any other stationary energy storage deployment if it is ever completed.
It came around after Elon Musk visited South Australia following the launch of its giant battery system in the state.
Musk gave an interview during which he was informed of the significant hardship that Australia’s high electricity prices are putting on families.
Visibly affected by the issue, Musk vowed that Tesla would “work harder” to help solve the problem.
A few months later, Tesla announced that it reached a deal with the South Australian government to install solar arrays and Powerwalls on up to 50,000 homes.
The deal was jeopardized after a new government was elected in the state a few weeks later, but they have since come around and confirmed that they will be moving forward with Tesla’s initiative as long as it is financed successfully.
In July, Tesla deployed the first 100 Powerwalls with solar for the new virtual power plant and focus on reducing the cost of electricity for low-income households.
It is already having a great impact for the families. Local news featured a public housing tenant in Adelaide who was spending over $500 every quarter for electricity and she has now seen her bill reduced to $175 since the installation of the system.
Now the government announced that they are moving forward with the “second phase”, which includes 1,000 homes.
Minister van Holst Pellekaan said:
“The VPP will deliver cheaper electricity to some of South Australia’s most disadvantaged households whilst increasing the reliability of the state’s electricity network,”
They have also announced Energy Locals as a new retail partner in the project to help Tesla and the government deploy the systems.
The 1,000 homes that will be part of the second phase of the VPP still need to be SA Housing Trust properties to facilitate the direct impact for low-income families.
With the upcoming third phase, they say that they will open up the process to other South Australian households.

That will be 1100 low income families wont be paying through the roof for electricity.... Good to see

Robot wrote on Dec 10^th, 2018 at 4:01pm:



What is the cost?

What if the proposed batteries are a gigantic fail and that only becomes truly apparent after all the fossil fuelled generators are mothballed?

Then of course that only leaves a touch over 700,000 households with no backup.

Johnnie wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 4:53pm:



So, the story so far, we have warmed by about 1C since after the industrial revolution, apparently. Though the data is sparse until after 1950 especially in the Southern Hemisphere. And with no remarkable adverse effects so far. But it is that extra 0.5C that is gunna do it?

Apart from that we are all gunna die. We are not immortal. As a species those that don't adapt also die.

Laugh till you cry wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 5:21pm:



Demonstrably not true. The climate has always changed. Changes of climate have caused species extinction where they could not adapt.

DonDeeHippy wrote on Dec 5^th, 2018 at 5:35am:

Elon Musk is a wanker and is making mebabux from SA, the batteries are unproven and at best only benefit a few in certain situations.

lee wrote on Dec 10^th, 2018 at 7:16pm:


On that inevitable day when all the batteries blow up, the solar panels get too dusty, and everyone in the Riverland goes mad from wind turbine syndrome, we'll have to go and take the mothballs out of the turbines at the gas plants, although one has to wonder why moths would be a problem for machines that are not made of tasty linens.

lee wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 9:10pm:

You really need to get back to basics, my graph was as simple as it can get for obvious reasons, ice core samples from various locations backed up by recent observations are irrefutable.

Johnnie wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 9:04pm:


True; the battery's been supplying FCAS for a year but that isn't for keepsies.

Johnnie wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 9:04pm:


Duh: that's by design.

Robot wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 9:39pm:

Nah, they wouldn't have a clue how long they will last under the baking sun, nor would Elon.
What will be the replacement costs, where will they dump the old batteries, Maralinga!

Johnnie wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 9:48pm:


If they haven't been cooked by California's weather then Souf Australia poses no challenge.

lee wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 10:14pm:


And? But?

lee wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 10:37pm:


It's not meant to power the entire state by itself. It just adds a bit of extra juice and frequency control when, for example, the Heywood interconnector trips, and buys time for local generators to come online. It's already saved the state from a couple of blackouts.

lee wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 10:37pm:


I trust the operator knows that they shouldn't blow up their generators.

lee wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 11:07pm:

Which batteries saved the state from blackouts and when.

lee wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 11:07pm:


Feel free to reference the ABC article that says "Or because SA has about 767,500 households for about 3 minutes, providing shops and industry are isolated from the grid."

You know, the one you're "merely quoting".

lee wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 11:07pm:


It's a tricky job. That's why engineers get the big money. Not sure why this matters.

Robot wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 11:23pm:


You seem confused. That article I quoted said -

lee wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 10:14pm:



Now the fact that SA has over 767,000 households comes from this-

"The Census usual resident population of South Australia in 2016 was 1,676,653, living in 767,267 dwellings with an average household size of 2.39."

https://profile.id.com.au/australia/population?WebID=130

Robot wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 11:23pm:



And it is still time consuming.

Robot wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 11:41pm:

Link, from SA Power Networks I hope.

lee wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 11:38pm:


If "supply runs low", not "supply disappears entirely leaving the battery to power over 767,000 households".

lee wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 11:38pm:


I see. So you fabricated some nonsense about the battery supplying the entire state for three seconds.

So much for "merely quoting the ABC".

"The battery can't power the whole state by itself, therefore it's a white elephant."

Johnnie wrote on Dec 11^th, 2018 at 11:46pm:


LOL. Not only does the forum prevent me from posting links, the idea that SA Power Networks has this info on their website is laughable.

lee wrote on Dec 12^th, 2018 at 12:41am:


See the AEMO's Preliminary Report: Queensland and South Australia system separation on 25 August 2018.

The QLD separation actually caused the frequency drop in SA, VIC and NSW. This caused load shedding (and blackouts) in NSW and Vic, but not SA because the battery provided instantaneous FCAS. SA was then islanded, which would have caused generation shedding (and blackouts) in SA except that the battery was able to immediately add load by charging.

Robot wrote on Dec 12^th, 2018 at 1:05am:


" add load by charging"? Charging is a drain on the system.

To add load would imply an overproduction of power and the battery was needed to load the grid down to prevent oversupply.

Robot wrote on Dec 12^th, 2018 at 12:04pm:



So the battery didn't provide any power in SA it was used simply as a DC choke.

So tell us how if the grid gets overloaded due to too many air conditioners how long will the battery last?

lee wrote on Dec 12^th, 2018 at 12:33pm:


Incorrect, and a bit weird.

lee wrote on Dec 12^th, 2018 at 12:33pm:


LOL you have no idea how the grid works.

The grid doesn't get "overloaded due to too many air conditioners".

lee wrote on Dec 12^th, 2018 at 1:01pm:


How embarrassing for you.