Tesla Powerpack Neoen Hornsdale Wind Farm

Following the September 2016 black-out event, the SA Government sought a battery storage solution to provide system security services and facilitate dispatchable renewable energy. The 100MW project was required to be designed, built, and operational in less than five months prior to the start of Summer 2017. System operation was also tied to a self-imposed deadline of "100 days or its free". The project required a new Grid Connection Agreement to be formed with ElectraNet and complex registration on the National Energy Market, forging the way for new technology and market reform.

This project pushed the boundaries of new and innovative thinking in the electricity industry. A highly compressed schedule required innovative approaches to the system design, long lead equipment procurement and connection agreement negotiations for this new technology. Site selection was integral in its success, identifying a site capable of connecting 100MW, and utilising a team who had experience with the wind farm site. Effective risk management was essential for enabling design to commence prior to contract and ultimately lead to delivering the installed project before deadline (100 days) and testing completed on schedule.

This system is the largest lithium-ion battery storage project in the world to date and provides enough power for more than 30,000 homes. This grid scale energy storage project is not only sustainable, but provides system security services to help solve power shortages, reduce intermittencies, and manage summer time peak demand, improving the reliability of electricity supply for all South Australians. The battery system also enables dispatchable supply of renewable energy, meaning that clean and affordable wind energy can be dispatched to the grid whether the wind is blowing or not, improving system reliability.

Safety Powerpack is designed with enhanced safety architecture including electrical and mechanical protection at all levels. It has been tested and certified to national and international safety standards. Beyond standard industry requirements, Tesla leverages experience gained from the automotive environment, designing and testing all batteries to ensure they survive harsh vibration, shock, corrosion, thermal, and electrical conditions. Sustainability Sustainability is a founding principal for Tesla and is the driving force behind our commitment to industry leading recycling programs for all Tesla products. Tesla currently recycles all returned battery packs and modules. Commerciality “According to state government’s advisor, Frontier Economics, the average price of FCAS fell by around 75 per cent in December [2017] from the same month the previous year. Market players are delighted, and consumers should be too, because they will ultimately benefit.” RenewEconomy The economics of battery storage continue to improve and there is a strong pipeline of future projects seeking to implement the innovative solution forged in this project. Revolutionising Battery storage technology has the potential to revolutionise electricity networks, accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy. This project demonstrates the possibilities of large-scale battery storage and is driving opportunities to shape energy policy and market reform.