Photo: Tesla
Tesla registers the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Giga Texas to protect itself from possible power outages. Tesla Megapacks will store energy from solar panels that will be placed on the roof of the factory.
In February 2021, winter storms hit Texas and left millions of people without electricity for several days. Tesla CEO Elon Musk was one of those impacted, as he and his family were there. Also, the construction of Giga Texas was stopped for several days. The company became one of those that helped the local population by donating and delivering food and essentials. All of this prompted the company to help the state bolster its energy market.
In early March 2021, it became known that Tesla was entering the Texas electricity market with undisclosed construction of a big battery connected to the grid. That project, consisting of 81 Tesla Megapacks, was built in Angleton last year. In late August, the company applied for the role of electricity supplier in Texas and revealed its plans to enter the state's energy market. The Texas Public Utility Commission has certified Tesla as an electricity provider in the state in a filing from November 3, 2021.
In addition, observations of the construction progress of Giga Texas in recent months show that Tesla has begun installing solar panels on the roof of the factory. The shape of the arrangement of the structure indicates that there will be written “TESLA.” Obviously, the manufacturer wants to provide itself with energy so as not to depend on the state's power grid.
To make this possible, Tesla installs not only solar panels but also energy storage systems. According to a new filing with the city of Austin, Tesla is applying for a new project at Giga Texas. The project is named “GIGA TEXAS LCRA PERMANENT SWITCHYARD & BESS” and will be located on 53 acres of land. This will be Tesla's second BESS in Texas.
© 2022, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.
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Article edited by @SmokeyShorts, you can follow him on Twitter
About the Author
Eva Fox
Eva Fox joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover breaking news as an automotive journalist. The main topics that she covers are clean energy and electric vehicles. As a journalist, Eva is specialized in Tesla and topics related to the work and development of the company.
