Tesla Lands Historic Agreement with Government to Build World’s Largest Battery in Australia

Tesla has plans to build the world’s largest lithium-ion battery.

The battery, which would be 60 per cent larger than any other such storage system, will be located in South Australia. It’s possible thanks to a historic partnership with the government of Australia, Tesla, and a European renewable energy company called Neoen.

At 100 megawatts of capacity and 129 megawatt-hours of energy generation, Tesla’s battery will greatly outpeform the current leader, an 80 megawatt-hour substation in California.

“Tesla Powerpack will charge using renewable energy from the Hornsdale Wind Farm and then deliver electricity during peak hours to help maintain the reliable operation of South Australia’s electrical infrastructure,” the company wrote online. “The Tesla Powerpack system will further transform the state’s movement towards renewable energy and see an advancement of a resilient and modern grid.”

The battery is expected to be completed by December of this year.

“This system will be the largest lithium-ion battery storage project in the world and will provide enough power for more than 30,000 homes, approximately equal to the amount of homes that lost power during the blackout period,” according to Tesla.

The battery is part of South Australia’s $550 million plan, announced earlier this year, to secure energy production independent of the country’s federal government.

The partnership between Tesla, Neoen and the SA government is not limited to building the world’s largest battery, either. Details are scarce at the moment but the government hinted at a variety of potential future projects.