Photo: Tesla

The CEO of the most disruptive companies in the world, Elon Musk, loves people very much, which becomes evident through the actions of those companies. Tesla, for example, provides active assistance to communities affected by various adverse conditions throughout 2021 and 2022.

2022 started off as a very difficult year. The biggest shock was the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine and its invasion of the lands of a sovereign country. The aggressor daily shells peaceful cities with heavy artillery, as well as high-precision missiles; as a result, thousands of civilians, including women, the elderly, and children, have already been killed. Tesla has become one of the companies that have helped Ukraine by donating some of its life-saving products and providing essential services.

In March this year, Tesla employees in Europe volunteered to design, prototype, and deploy the first 50 kits containing Powerwalls, Gateways, and solar inverters to support continued energy access in Ukraine, the manufacturer announced in its 2021 Impact Report. Combined with one of the 250 solar panels Tesla sent, these mini-power plants can help Ukraine's communications and essential services indefinitely by using solar energy to recharge the Powerwalls. Together with the Starlink terminals used for satellite Internet access (manufactured by SpaceX), the kits were sent to Ukraine. In addition, solar panels and Powerwalls were donated to power hospitals in the most devastated settlements of the Kyiv region.

Photo: Tesla

In addition to product donations, Tesla has opened free Supercharging at all stations in Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to support those affected by recent events and help Ukrainians who travel by electric vehicles to escape to safety. Free access to charging in these locations was also given to owners of electric vehicles in Europe.

However, assistance to Ukraine was not the only example of such aid from Tesla. In August 2021, Hurricane Ida hit the southeastern United States. Tesla has also been active in helping affected communities. The manufacturer worked with NGO partners such as the Footprint Project, and certified installers in the New Orleans Area (Solar Alternatives, Posigen) to deploy Powerwall and solar panel disaster relief systems. At that time, 14 systems were deployed at more than 10 sites, including food distribution centers, churches, a warehouse, a fire station, a shelter, and a command center for NGOs. Most of the systems remained in place for six weeks while the power grid was down. Some systems were in place for much longer before power was fully restored.

Photo: Brett Duke

At the end of 2021, storms began in parts of the central and southern United States, which were caused by devastating tornadoes. After the Kentucky Storms, Tesla deployed two systems at a research and education center in Princeton, Kentucky in partnership with the Footprint Project. These systems have helped power communication trailers and mobile offices for more than 50 rescuers. They are still deployed while the center is being restored. At the moment, the manufacturer is exploring ways to turn trailers and mobile offices into a training center for future rescuers.

Photo: Tesla

In February 2021, a weather event occurred in Texas that caused a widespread power outage for several days, affecting thousands of residents. During the Texas winter storm, Tesla provided a disaster relief system to Pathways Youth & Family Services, Inc., a non-profit social service organization providing foster care, adoption, and behavioral health services to communities across Texas. The system consisted of four mobile Powerwall units (for a total of ~100kWh of batteries and 40kW of power). With this system, Pathways was able to restore heat and power to its facilities, allowing the resumption of housing and other social services for children.

© 2022, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.

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