Tesla Megapacks are on the way to Hawaii to replace the last coal-fired power plant and finish KES by September.
KES collects solar energy during the day and discharges it at night to maintain grid frequency, and Tesla's batteries can achieve this.
Hawaii Aims To Go Full Green Energy by 2045
Hawaii has the most installed solar capacity per inhabitant and plans to use only green energy by 2045. But since the sun doesn't always shine, the state must balance renewable energy with energy storage capability.
Hawaiian Electric reports a 40% increase in solar applications in Hawaii in 2020. This helps since Hawaii was already scheduled to meet the 2020 year-end target of 30% renewable energy. It has the most expensive electricity in the US in 2019, costing roughly $0.29 per kilowatt-hour. In the said state, solar households get a 35 percent state tax credit for up to $5,000 and a 26 percent federal tax credit that will decrease to 22 percent the following year.
The last coal-fired power plant in the state has to be replaced, and Tesla Megapacks are headed to Hawaii to construct a massive brand-new energy storage system. To assist in achieving that aim, Tesla has been installing batteries in Hawaii for years. The business collaborates with Hawaiian Electric on massive new battery systems and a Powerwall-based virtual power plant.
Tesla's Megapack Can Store up to 3MWh, Contains 1.5MW Inverter
The company's energy storage product, the Megapack, was introduced in 2020, after the Powerpack and the Powerwall, and it is intended as an even larger alternative aimed at electric utility projects. A single Megapack, according to Tesla, can store up to 3MWh and contains a 1.5MW inverter.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, urged utilities to replace polluting and ineffective peaker plants with the new Megapack. Since we began learning about several additional Megapack installations over the past few months, some energy providers have started using Musk's offer.
Long-time Tesla Powerwall installation partner Swell Energy has been working on multiple virtual power plant (VPP) projects using Tesla Powerwalls. The corporation said in 2021 that it had signed an agreement with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for a brand-new, enormous VPP project.
The project complements Swell's other virtual power plants (VPPs), including those in Orange County, Santa Barbara, and Redwood Coast, and all employ Tesla Powerwalls. However, it has been anticipated to grow to be Swell's largest VPP.
KES' Completion and Operation Eyed in September
Now that the Tesla Megapacks are arriving in Hawaii, the last coal power plant in the territory will be shut down.
With a capacity of 185 megawatts/565 megawatt-hours when it is finished, the Kapolei Energy Storage facility (KES) will rank among the most extensive battery systems in the world.
It is a joint venture between Plus Power and Hawaiian Electric; the former chose to power the system using Tesla Megapacks.
Tesla's biggest energy storage device, the Megapack, is a 3 MWh, container-sized battery system. 158 Megapacks are en route to Oahu, Hawaii, to begin construction on the project.
By September 2022, when Hawaii's last coal plant, close to KES, is anticipated to be shut down, the project must be completed and functioning. KES aims to preserve grid frequency while collecting extra solar energy during the day and discharging it during the evening. Tesla's energy storage devices have shown their ability to do this.
