According to CNBC, a fire broke out in the Tesla Megapack energy storage system, one of the world’s largest battery bases in Victoria, Australia. The cause of the fire is unknown. Paris-based renewable energy giant Neoen has developed this grid-scale project in cooperation with Tesla and AusNet Services. The project is called Victorian Big Battery, which aims to help Victoria achieve 50% 2030 Of renewable energy targets.
According to the latest information shared by the Australian company Neoen on Twitter, the battery has only recently been registered with the Australian energy market operator, and the fire occurred during the test period. The incident facility was a 13-ton lithium battery. According to a spokesperson for the electricity market operator AEMO, the site has been safely isolated from the grid and has not affected the power supply in the area.
Giant batteries provided by newcomers like Tesla, ABB, and Northvolt can help grid operators transfer additional capacity between states and ensure that electricity from intermittent renewable energy sources, including solar and wind energy, can be stored, Use when needed. Projects such as Neoen’s Victorian Big Battery, as well as systems such as Tesla’s Megapack, can also ensure that electricity can be output even in the event of an unexpected power outage in the transmission network.
In a recent earnings conference call, Tesla CEO Elon Musk talked about his company’s growing energy storage business, claiming that the demand for Tesla’s home Powerwall batteries exceeds 1 million, and there is a need for utilities. The demand for Megapack is very large. The revenue of Tesla’s energy generation and storage business reached 801 million U.S. dollars in the second quarter of 2021, and the cost of revenue for this quarter reached $781 million.
According to a statement sent to CNBC by Louis de Sambucy, General Manager of Neoen Australia, the fire occurred “inside a Tesla Megapack of a large battery in Victoria during the preliminary system test on Friday. No one was injured and the scene was evacuated. He added: “Neoen and Tesla are working closely with the emergency services department on-site to deal with this situation. The site has been disconnected from the grid and will not affect the power supply.”
Musk wrote on Twitter after learning of the fire in the Big Battery Base: Prometheus has lifted the shackles, Prometheus is the god of fire in ancient Greek mythology. Australia’s Financial Review reported that the fire triggered a toxic smoke warning, and the authorities instructed residents in nearby suburbs to close doors and windows and turn off the heating and cooling systems.
