A new Tesla Megapack project in Australia is set to help the country make better use of its solar energy production, with a storage capacity of 300 kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Aussies generate a lot of energy from rooftop solar — the country added 1.4 gigawatts of capacity from nearly 160,000 rooftop systems in the first half of 2023, reports The Guardian. Yet the grid hasn't caught up, according to Electrek, meaning energy-generating capacity goes to waste.
Unlike dirty energy sources, such as coal, oil, and gas, renewable energy like solar is much less predictable since it can fluctuate seasonally and even throughout the day as weather changes. That's where energy storage comes into play. Some of the big players in the renewable energy storage market include BYD and CATL.
Now, enter Tesla with its energy storage solution: the Tesla Megapack. This will be the battery of choice for Australia's upcoming Riverina and Darlington Point Energy Storage Systems project in New South Wales, Electrek reports.
The venture will utilize three clusters of Tesla Megapacks to store excess energy for later use when production outpaces demand.
According to the International Energy Agency, investment in solar will overtake investments in dirty energy by the end of this year, and renewable capacity will meet 35% of global power generation by 2025.
For consumers, this is great news because renewables are the cheapest form of power today.
Further savings could come from projects that allow residents to sell extra energy they have stored to the grid. Tesla is already testing this with a pilot program in Texas.
Renewable energy is also an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to creating a healthier world. The use of traditional energies like coal, oil, and gas contributes to planet-warming gases.
Those dirty energy sources also release pollutants that can harm human health — some of the negative consequences include increased risk of early death, heart attacks, respiratory disorders, strokes, and asthma, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Commenters on the Electrek website, which ran a story about Australia's Tesla Megapack project, were enthusiastic.
"Considering this is a relatively new area of growth for Tesla, they are absolutely crushing it," one person said.
"Australia will triple the amount of battery storage it has over the next two years with all the new projects in the pipeline," another commenter predicted.
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