Image: Department for Energy and Mining, South Australia

Tesla has added another 3,000 homes to its virtual power plant (VPP) in Australia. Now the total number of houses participating in the project will exceed 7,000. The $33 million expansion is being funded entirely by Tesla.

A virtual power plant in South Australia that provides cheaper electricity to more than 4,000 Housing SA households is about to get bigger. Tesla has launched the fourth phase of the South Australian Virtual Power Plant (SAVPP). It will enable more low-income South Australians to enjoy the benefits of renewable energy.

The new phase will add another 3,000 households in South Australia, according to a press release from the Department for Energy and Mining, South Australia. They will get inexpensive electricity and the convenience of a backup battery. For the first time, the project will also cover households in the public housing sector. The $33 million expansion is being funded entirely by Tesla. It will provide capital to thousands of low-income households that were previously excluded from the program because their properties were not suitable for rooftop solar panels.

SAVPP provides Housing SA and Community Housing tenants with the cheapest electricity in the state, which is currently 23% below the Default Market Offer. That works out to $423 a year for a typical household, according to electricity supplier, Energy Locals.

The VPP also benefits all South Australians by providing essential network services that were previously only provided by centralized, more traditional equipment. As part of the project, solar panels and Tesla Powerwall have already been installed in 4,100 households. After expansion, their number will exceed 7,000.

© 2023, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.

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