Here’s how Tesla uses its giant batteries to power small islands (TSLA)

As Puerto Ricans continue to suffer without power in the wake of Hurricane Maria, Tesla and other companies are proposing alternative solutions.

Puerto Rico's 3.5 million residents lost power after Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 store, destroyed the island's electric grid. It may take six months before Puerto Rico can repair the power grid, leading the government to consider other remedies in the interim.

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello said Friday that representatives are "exploring opportunities" to use Tesla's commercial batteries and solar panels to restore power.

It's a big undertaking for the electric automaker, which is using the occasion to increase battery production. But Tesla has already successfully built similar systems on other islands — here's how:

SEE ALSO: Puerto Rico may not get power for another 6 months — here's a look at the hurricane's devastating effects

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Tesla is proposing building a microgrid in Puerto Rico. A microgrid, as the name suggests, is a local energy grid that can operate independently of the main power system.

So in the case of Puerto Rico, it could operate before the government rebuilds the main power grid, which officials have said could take as long as six months.

Tesla has built microgrids in cities and small islands using a combination of its Powerpack batteries and solar panels. To put it simply, the panels capture solar energy, which is then stored in the Powerpacks and converted into electricity.

For example, Tesla's microgrid in Ta'u, an island in American Samoa, is composed of 5,329 solar panels and 60 Powerpack batteries. It's capable of collecting enough solar energy to power the island for three days straight.

Source: Business Insider

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Contributer : Tech Insider http://ift.tt/2wLqJ8F

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