Tesla announces a successful step in a pilot project to deploy Powerwalls with German electric company Transnet BW to stabilize the grid and take better advantage of the country’s strong solar power.
Over the last few years, we have seen virtual power plant projects become increasingly popular thanks to the advent of distributed energy assets like rooftop solar and home battery packs.
Tesla has been leading on that front with its Powerwall, which is becoming one of the most popular home energy solutions.
Tesla, electric companies, or other energy management companies, can band together Powerwalls located in different homes to provide grid services – creating what we call a virtual power plant.
There are now dozens of virtual power plants using Powerwall in operation around the world, including in Australia, California, and Texas.
Last year, Tesla started to work with Transnet BW, one of the largest electric companies in Germany, to put together a pilot virtual power plant using Powerwalls.
The companies never confirmed how many batteries would be involved in the project, but Tesla now announced that it was successful:
As part of a pilot project with TransnetBW in Germany – the first in continental Europe – Powerwall owners successfully contributed renewable energy to help support key sections of the grid.
Transnet BW previously said that it would expand the program if the pilot proved successful.
Germany is currently trying to adapt its electric grid in order to stabilize it and make better use of its growing solar capacity.
Batteries are a great solution for that since they enable the storage of solar energy to be distributed when needed rather than only when the sun is shining.
Tesla is working to make Powerwall the easiest solution for that through hardware and software integration, making it simple for both homeowners and electric utilities looking to use those distributed energy assets to create virtual power plants.