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Tesla To Provide 93 MWh Grid-Scale Storage Battery For Electricity Co-Op In Alaska

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Published on December 18th, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

Tesla To Provide 93 MWh Grid-Scale Storage Battery For Electricity Co-Op In Alaska

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December 18th, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Homer Electric Association is an energy cooperative that serves the needs of some 50,000 people living on the Kenai Peninsular south of Anchorage, Alaska. It announced this week that it has agreed to the purchase and installation of a 93 MWh battery energy storage system supplied by Tesla “to increase grid stability, electric power reliability and system efficiency for its members,” according to an online post on HEA’s website. Installation of the Tesla battery is expected to be completed by the fall of 2021. No information about the cost of the project is being released by HEA or Tesla at this time.

Soldatna Generating Plant. Credit: Homer Electric Association

The battery will be located at HEA’s Soldatna Generating Plant, a gas turbine facility with a capacity of 47 megawatts. It can normally power up in about 15 minutes to meet a surge in the demand for electricity but will be called upon to do so less frequently once the Tesla battery is in operation. 15 minutes is a pretty good response time for a turbine but a battery like the one Tesla is providing can react in milliseconds. That’s the difference between 20th and 21st century technology.

The new battery will allow HEA to meet its reliability requirements without having to burn additional fuel, resulting in greater system efficiencies, lower greenhouse gas production, and reduced power outages. But it will have an additional benefit as well. It will open the door for the co-op to include more solar or wind energy in its portfolio in the future. Without battery storage in place, the co-op’s thermal generation resources could be strained due to the intermittency of renewable energy.

HEA has a relatively modest renewable energy goal of 18% within the next few years. At the present time, it gets about 10% of its electricity from the Bradley Lake hydroelectric facility owned by the Alaska Energy Authority. It has recently committed to a new hydroelectric initiative known as the Battle Creek Diversion Project, which involves the installation of 9,100 feet of Steel Reinforced Poly Ethylene 6 feet in diameter. It will add about 36,160 MWh of electricity to HEA’s supply each year. Completion of that project is scheduled for the summer of next year.

It is encouraging that Alaska, which prides itself on its fossil fuel reserves, is beginning to look to battery storage and renewables to meet the demand for electricity in its future — further proof that lower costs are the best way to reduce reliance on fossil fuels for future energy needs.
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Steve Hanley Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his homes in Florida and Connecticut or anywhere else the Singularity may lead him. You can follow him on Twitter but not on any social media platforms run by evil overlords like Facebook.

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@Honda: Honda Plans to Begin Sales of BENLY e: Series

TOKYO, Japan, December 19, 2019 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced plans to begin sales of BENLY e: Series business-use electric scooter models to corporate customers*1 in Japan, in April 2020. Developed with the concept of a “Business e: scooter perfect for everyday delivery services,” BENLY e: Series is equipped with a compact EV… Continue reading @Honda: Honda Plans to Begin Sales of BENLY e: Series

Mercedes EQC Deliveries Delayed Until 2021

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Published on December 15th, 2019 |

by Johnna Crider

Mercedes EQC Deliveries Delayed Until 2021

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December 15th, 2019 by Johnna Crider

Mercedes has announced they it will delay the US launch of its first electric vehicle, the EQC, which starts at $68,895. Those who call Tesla a “vaporware” company should take note. Mercedes was expected to bring the EQC to its US dealerships in the first quarter of 2020, but it looks like we will have to wait another whole year for one of those “Tesla killers.” The reason for the wait? Mercedes says demand is too high in Europe for the company to bring it to the US.

Demand may be high in Europe for the Mercedes EQC, but as Maarten Vinkhuyzen has explained for us before, automakers have a much easier time selling EVs in Europe due to both its stronger vehicle emission regulations (forcing automakers to start selling EVs in higher quantities or face fines) and a better dealership system (customers are accustomed to ordering their cars in advance rather than going onto a dealership lot and choosing from the options on hand). The need to increase a good flow of EV sales in Europe is only growing, too. The EU Parliament is now mandating a 37.5% cut in new vehicle emissions by 2030.

Naturally, people who are reservation holders of the EQC may cancel and decide to purchase a Tesla for either a similar or even a lower price. They may conclude that while they previously thought it was wiser and “safer” to go with a conventional automaker, Tesla is in fact leading the industry for a reason.

This delay means that Mercedes, which is owned by Daimler, may suffer some financial consequences as Tesla and other EV makers — such as Audi, BMW, and Jaguar — pass it up on the road to meeting US EV demands. Daimler just announced plans last month to cut thousands of jobs. Perhaps being late to the electric party was not a good idea.

The EQC was once termed a “Tesla killer,” which means an EV that would ultimately destroy Tesla. I used to think that term was very negative, but I’ve had second thoughts. It’s inspiring in a sense — it’s about this urge or need to destroy a competitor by making something better. It inherently compels automakers to make better EVs.

The irony is that, if a “Tesla killer” was to exist, it would be fulfilling Tesla’s mission. I don’t think that will happen for a very long time since Tesla is the star of the 21st century automotive industry and everyone else seems far behind. But it would be good if other automakers genuinely tried to make Tesla killers.
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Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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@VW Group: Car.Software organization strengthens Board of Management

The Volkswagen Group’s Car.Software organization is strengthening its Board of Management. With effect from January 1, 2020, Björn Goerke is to be the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Car.Software organization. To date, Goerke has been Chief Technology Officer and President SAP Cloud Platform with the software company SAP. In his new function, he is… Continue reading @VW Group: Car.Software organization strengthens Board of Management

BMW iX3 To Get 74 kWh Pack (Net) And Over 440 KM Of WLTP Range

The BMW iX3is coming next year with solid specs. Let’s check out the official numbers. BMW today officially revealed preliminary data about the upcoming all-electric BMW iX3, which is scheduled for market launch in Europe, China and North America in 2020. The iX3 is the first BMW based on the new 5th generation drivetrain and… Continue reading BMW iX3 To Get 74 kWh Pack (Net) And Over 440 KM Of WLTP Range

IBM Research says new battery design lacks heavy metals, can perform better than lithium-ion

IBM Research said it has created a battery design that doesn’t use heavy metals and could ultimately outperform lithium-ion batteries on multiple fronts. The IBM Research battery is built with materials extracted from seawater and would minimize the need to mine. The IBM Research battery uses a cobalt and nickel free cathode material along with… Continue reading IBM Research says new battery design lacks heavy metals, can perform better than lithium-ion

@BMW: The efficient drivetrain for the purely electric BMW iX3.

Munich. The BMW iX3, the production of which will commence in 2020, facilitates locally emission-free driving in a novel and efficient form, whilst also being suitable for everyday use. A range of more than 440 km* within the legislative WLTP test cycle will be achieved with a net-battery size of 74 kWh*. The first purely electric… Continue reading @BMW: The efficient drivetrain for the purely electric BMW iX3.

Mercedes EQA teaser reveals an electric counterpart to the GLA

Sponsored Links Mercedes-Benz Mercedes has posted a teaser for the production EQA, and it doesn’t appear share much of anything in common with the 2018 concept EV. The near-finished vehicle is now positioned as an “electric brother” of the 2021 GLA crossover, complete with a virtually identical side profile. Mercedes hasn’t said much more, but… Continue reading Mercedes EQA teaser reveals an electric counterpart to the GLA

Tesla considers cutting China-built Model 3 sedan prices next year: Bloomberg

FILE PHOTO: A new Tesla Model 3 is shown at a delivery center on the last day of the company’s third quarter, in San Diego, California, September 30, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Blake (Reuters) – U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc is considering cutting the prices of its China-built Model 3 sedans by 20% or more next… Continue reading Tesla considers cutting China-built Model 3 sedan prices next year: Bloomberg

@Ford: Ford to Invest More Than $1.45 Billion, Add 3,000 Jobs in S.E. Mich. Plants to Deliver New Pickups, SUVs, EVs and AVs

Ford will invest $750 million and add 2,700 new direct jobs in the next three years at Ford’s manufacturing facility in Wayne, Mich., to build the new Ford Bronco, an all-new Ford Ranger and a new modification center to support autonomous vehicles and other vehicles The company also will invest about $700 million and add… Continue reading @Ford: Ford to Invest More Than $1.45 Billion, Add 3,000 Jobs in S.E. Mich. Plants to Deliver New Pickups, SUVs, EVs and AVs