Tesla will create 'virtual power plant' with 50,000 Australian homes
Tesla isn't done bolstering Australia's power grid just because its giant battery farm is up and running. South Australia premier Jay Weatherill has unveiled a partnership that will provide 5kW solar panels and Tesla Powerwall 2 batteries to "at least" 50,000 homes in a bid to create the largest-ever " virtual power plant ," where homes contribute their surplus energy to the grid. The move will theoretically stabilize the Australian state's electricity infrastructure, reducing the blackouts and surging prices that have plagued the region in recent times. The initiative will start with a trial in 1,100 public housing homes. The panels and batteries won't carry any up-front charge for the participating households, South Australia said -- instead, it'll be funded both through selling electricity as well as through government funds. Officials will provide both a $2 million Australian ($1.6 million US) grant as well as a $30 million Australian (...