Tesla created a virtual power plant in Japan secretly

Tesla’s most recent virtual power plant is located in Japan. Since 2021, the business has been discreetly installing its Powerwall batteries at residences on the island of Miyako-Jima, and it already has over 300 installed. According to the announcement, it is Japan’s biggest commercial virtual power plant.

Virtual power plants make use of solar panels and batteries installed in individual residences. People who have similar installations may join up to transmit additional power back to the electrical system in their neighborhood, providing it a boost when there is a threat of a blackout. When the power supply is stressed, the grid may utilize that electricity instead of relying on gas-fired power plants.

The virtual power plant is based on a program run by Miyakojima Mirai Energy Co, a local energy company that provides free solar panels and storage batteries.

Tesla already operates virtual power plants in California and Australia, and it is planning to establish one in Texas, where it sees a chance to offer a new source of electricity to a notoriously problematic system. People in California who have Powerwalls installed in their houses may earn $2 for every kilowatt-hour put back into the grid during emergencies or times of high demand. During typhoons, people on Miyako-Jima face frequent power disruptions, and the Powerwalls assist keep the lights on in individual houses. “During typhoons, lights remain available, and freezers are operational as normal,” remarked a Powerwall customer in a Tesla video.

Tesla said that it intends to build 400 Powerwall units by the end of the year and 600 units by the end of 2023. The corporation then intends to expand to the remainder of Okinawa prefecture, which encompasses the chain of islands that stretches between the Japanese mainland and Taiwan.