Very soon, South Australia will be home to the “world’s largest lithium-ion battery” thanks to a historic agreement between electric car giant TESLA and the State Government. Tesla is teaming up with French-based renewable energy company ‘Neoen’ to deliver the lithium ion battery by the end of the year. And Elon Musk, the billionaire co-founder of Tesla is promising to build it in 100 days, or it’s free.
South Australia has been battling power problems since a statewide blackout in September 2016. In March 2017, Elon Musk has thrown down a challenge to the South Australian and federal governments, saying he can solve the state’s energy woes within 100 days – or he’ll deliver the 100MW battery storage system for free.
Tesla will get the system installed and working 100 days from contract signature or it is free. That serious enough for you?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 10, 2017
The state government said Musk had confirmed his pledge made on Twitter. On Friday, the state’s premier, Jay Weatherill, confirmed the deal. The Government said the battery puts the state at the forefront of global energy storage technology.
Mr. Musk’s ‘100 days or it’s free’ pledge starts once the grid interconnection agreement has been signed. The project will be in place before summer.
We are installing the world's largest lithium-ion battery storage project in South Australia https://t.co/pjmhkrtT89
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 7, 2017
Tesla will build the 100-megawatt (129-megawatt hour) battery which will store energy from Neoen’s Hornsdale Wind Farm near Jamestown, in the state’s mid-north, which is still under construction.
At a press conference, Musk said a failure to deliver the project on time would cost his group about $50 million or more. “If South Australia is willing to take a big risk, then so are we,” he said.
The world’s largest lithium-ion battery to store renewable energy will stabilize the network at all times and will provide backup power if there is a shortfall.
