Asia Pacific’s first grid-scale Tesla Powerpack storage system to be integrated into the public electricity network has be unveiled at the renovated Glen Innes substation in Auckland, New Zealand.
The Tesla Powerpack has a storage capacity of 1MW/2.3MWh – the equivalent to powering 450 average homes for 2.3 hours – allows New Zealand multi-network infrastructure company, Vector, to continue to provide a secure, reliable power supply and defer a conventional upgrade to the substation.
This move represents a radical transformation in how Vector manages its electricity network and responds to the need for innovative infrastructure development to support growing communities.
Vector’s Chief Executive, Simon Mackenzie, said the Tesla Powerpack battery storage system could help to reduce peak demand and extend the life of the substation, deferring capital expenditure and providing supplementary power to the Glen Innes area – all without compromising reliability.
It also introduces an agility and flexibility into how Vector manages and invests in its network.
“By gauging trends such as household energy consumption, the effect of infill housing and the uptake of new energy systems, we can target growth areas and defer or avoid the significant investment required in a new substation,” Mr Mackenzie said.
“And when connection or consumption growth requires a conventional network upgrade, we can mobilise the batteries to other parts of the network where power demand is rising.
“This is transforming the way the energy sector is managed and will have a powerful influence on consumer behaviour.”
Mr Mackenzie said new technologies such as Tesla Powerpack allow Vector to better manage the risks associated with the NZ$2 billion that needs to be invested in its Auckland networks over the next 10 years.
