Spotlight Activity: South Australia and Tesla’s Virtual Power Scheme
The South Australian government, partnering with Tesla, recently announced a major solar and storage plan to distribute free solar panels and batteries to 50,000 low-income households in the state. If this goes ahead, it would create the world’s largest virtual power plant.
The project is part of the state government’s plan to reach its 75% renewable energy target by 2025. It would result in households paying an estimated 30% less than current electricity rates. While public interest is high, some local businesses are concerned about the government partnering with an international, rather than a local, company. Furthermore, the project is reliant on a $30 million loan from the Renewable Technology Fund, which some local competitors argue makes the project less economically sustainable than their proposals.
Status: Moving Forward
While there are still details that need to be worked out, this project represents a big step towards clean energy infrastructure. In addition, Australian universities and businesses are currently running a project to test the viability of this scheme were it to be applied to 1.8 million rooftops across the country. If the results are positive, it could create one of the largest electricity networks in the world.
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South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill
Tel: +61(08) 9463 3166
Mail: Premier Jay Weatherill
GPO Box 2343
Adelaide SA 5001, Australia
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