Since acquiring SolarCity, Tesla has revealed that it is running the island of Ta’u, American Samoa, on a solar energy microgrid. With a total capacity 1.4 of megawatts, the microgrid can cover “nearly 100 percent” of Ta’u’s electrical needs.
It is an exciting time as far as storage and battery innovation is concerned. A key part of this project is not just the 5,328 solar panels themselves, but the 60 Tesla Powerpacks that offer 6 Mwh of energy storage. Curtailing the biggest problem that has plagued renewable sources such as wind and solar for some time – storage.
Although typically very sunny, if T’au happens to be confronted by an usually cloudy weather system, the packs can keep the island running for three days without sunlight.
The solar switch, which took a year to complete, has both its long-term environmental and immediate practical benefits. Like many remote communities, Ta’u previously had to run on diesel generators which burnt 300 gallons of fuel per day. Solar eliminates the pollution associated with fossil fuels, and the ongoing cost of continuously buying and shipping barrels of diesel. Most importantly for T’ai it provides energy independence and a more reliable source of electricity. Locals previously had to ration power, or accept periodic outages when shipments of diesel were delayed.
Ta’u is clearly the perfect test case. The island boasts many sunshine hours and there are less than 600 residents with relatively modest power needs. For a more populous city the system would need to be much more advanced. Particulalry in climates where cloudy days are more commonplace. However, it is a great start to weaning the world off fossil fuels.
Credit: https://www.engadget.com