Advanced Virtual Power Plant Grid Integration Trial

In partnership with the SA Government, Tesla is rolling out solar and battery systems to up to 50,000 customers and operating them as a VPP. At full scale, this would be by far the largest VPP in the world and a significant resource in South Australia’s energy market. It would provide up to 500 MW, equivalent to the Torrens Island Power Station “A Station” (480MW), or over three times the capacity of the ‘World’s Largest Battery’ at Hornsdale (150MW).

In a world-first trial, funded by ARENA as part of their Advancing Renewables Program, SA Power Networks worked with Tesla and CSIRO to show how current export limits can be as much as doubled using innovative new approaches. This is achieved by implementing an interface that exchanges real-time data on location and network capacity between SA Power Networks and the customers’ VPP operator. Variable export limits allowed us to double total export power of the VPP at certain times, delivering greater value for operators and customers from DER.

SA Power Networks won the Energy Networks Australia 2020 Industry Innovation Award and the Best Use of Technology Award at the 2020 Digital Utility Awards for this project. Read more

We are now planning to extend the technology to Solar PV systems. Read more