Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has finished installing the world’s largest lithium-ion battery in South Australia to store renewable energy.
The 100-megawatt battery is about to enter final testing following its installation at Jamestown, where it is connected to an adjacent wind farm run by French renewable energy company Neoen.
The battery, which stores enough energy to power 30,000 homes for about an hour, will be officially launched next week.
READ: Tesla surprises the world by using truck launch to unveil the new Roadster
Premier Jay Weatherill said: “While others are just talking, we are delivering our energy plan, making South Australia more self-sufficient and providing backup power and more affordable energy for South Australians this summer.”
He added: “The world’s largest lithium-ion battery will be an important part of our energy mix and it sends the clearest message that South Australia will be a leader in renewable energy with battery storage.”
South Australia’s A$530mln energy plan was launched last year after a state-wide blackout during severe storms in September and a load-shedding event across Adelaide in February.
Load shedding blackouts happen when the Australian Energy Market Operator orders power companies to switch off electricity to customers to protect the grid when demand outstrips supply.
Following the blackouts, Tesla chief executive Elon Musk put forward an offer on Twitter for a battery to power homes in South Australia.
Congratulations to the Tesla crew and South Australian authorities who worked so hard to get this manufactured and installed in record time! https://t.co/M2zKXlIVn3
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) 23 November 2017
The state’s energy plan also includes the installation of government-owned emergency generation and support for a solar thermal power plant at Port Augusta.