Tesla’s big batteries at the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia have saved consumers about $116 million and spared them from three major blackouts.
French renewable energy producer Neoen owns the 100MW Hornsdale venture which uses energy from a nearby windfarm to supply the state’s power grid, Neoen proposing to expand it to 150MW, ensuring energy security and providing confidence for EV charging.
The large-scale Tesla Powerpack battery system was installed in 2017 for about $90 million, Tesla chief executive Elon Musk famously betting it would be built in 100 days or provided free.
The $116m saving in 2019 is based on an impact study by Aurecon which also showed three major blackouts in August 2018, November 2019, and January 2020, Teslarati reports.
The big battery’s fast response meant major and lengthy power cuts were avoided in many areas.
Why does a French Company own it? For 90 million surely the SA government could have invested?