Fresh off record-setting days for battery usage in Texas, Tesla is bringing its grid-scale Megapack system all the way north to Alaska.
Local energy companies Chugach Electric Association and Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) announced a $65 million project featuring Tesla's battery energy storage system (BESS), as Teslarati reported.
The deal brings 24 of Tesla's two-hour Megapack units to Anchorage, which will use the system as a backup energy source for the grid.
"The BESS enhances system flexibility, boosts reliability, saves fuel, and brings cutting-edge technology to the Railbelt," Chugach CEO Arthur Miller said in a press release.
The Megapacks are set to respond to "disturbances, such as transmission line interruptions, generation issues, or other load shed events," per the release, with Teslarati explaining they "will be able to instantly respond to grid needs using the company's Autobidder AI."
Meanwhile, the fuel savings in switching to batteries from natural gas and hydro generators translate to a projected 5% annual decrease in natural gas consumption.
The news continues the momentum for Megapacks in recent months. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the BESS business is growing faster than the electric vehicle market, and the company is looking to invest accordingly.
A Shanghai factory devoted to Megapack production is coming to completion soon, and it will be the second of its kind, joining a Lathrop, California, plant. Companies from California to Australia are deploying the BESS to power their projects.
The trend is a positive in the shift away from dirty energy, the main contributor of heat-trapping pollution warming the planet and leading to dire consequences, including more intense hurricanes and other extreme weather events.
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Megapacks, on the other hand, tap into renewable energy sources, like the fast-growing solar and wind power. Each battery pack stores enough clean energy to "power an average of 3,600 homes for one hour," per Tesla.
For consumers looking to replicate the Megapacks on an individual scale, Tesla offers the Powerwall 3. It can similarly ensure clean power is available for your home and add energy resiliency during grid outages.
In Alaska, there was no shortage of enthusiasm about the deal.
"We're excited to see this project contribute to our region's energy future," MEA CEO Tony Izzo said in the release.
"It's a crucial step as we work to diversify power generation and create a more dynamic system," Miller added.
The partnership could grow, too.
While the current deal is for a 40-megawatt system, the footprint allows future expansion to up to 70 megawatts, according to the news release.
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