Tesla, PG&E to Help Build World’s Largest Energy Storage Facility in California
28 February 2020
Renewable Energy
Sign with logo for Tesla Motors in front of new glass building near the company's headquarters in the Silicon Valley, Fremont, California, July 28, 2018. Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images
A California county has given the green light to what officials say will be part of the largest renewable energy storage facility in the world.
<p>The project, which is a partnership between <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/tesla" target="_self">Tesla</a> and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) won unanimous approval from the Monterey County Planning Commission Wednesday, <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/tesla-pge-to-build-massive-clean-energy-facility-in-monterey-county/2243293/" target="_blank">NBC Bay Area reported</a>. It is the second clean energy battery facility to be approved at the site of an underused power plant in Moss Landing.</p><p>"Certainly, combined, this is going to be the largest battery facility in the world, so it's a big boost to our community and our country," Monterey County Supervisor John Phillips said, as <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2020/02/27/humongous-tesla-battery-plant-approved-in-california-is-10x-bigger-than-worlds-biggest-battery-plant/" target="_blank">CleanTechnica reported</a>.</p><p>The Tesla/ PG&E facility will have the capacity to store up to 730 megawatts of wind and solar power during off-peak hours, the <a href="https://www.montereyherald.com/2020/02/26/moss-landing-battery-storage-project-approved/" target="_blank">Monterey Herald reported</a>. The other project recently approved on the site, which is being built by Vistra Energy, will have a capacity of 1,200 megawatts.</p>
<p>The most recent project will involve the installation of 268 Tesla Megapack lithium-ion batteries.</p><p>The Megapack is a relatively new Tesla design, following the Powerpack batteries it used at its storage facility in Hornsdale, South Australia, which <a href="https://hornsdalepowerreserve.com.au/" target="_blank">is the largest lithium ion battery in the world</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.tesla.com/blog/introducing-megapack-utility-scale-energy-storage" target="_blank">Tesla explained</a> how they work:</p><blockquote>Megapack significantly reduces the complexity of large-scale battery storage and provides an easy installation and connection process. Each Megapack comes from the factory fully-assembled with up to 3 megawatt hours (MWhs) of storage and 1.5 MW of inverter capacity, building on Powerpack's engineering with an AC interface and 60% increase in energy density to achieve significant cost and time savings compared to other battery systems and traditional fossil fuel power plants. Using Megapack, Tesla can deploy an emissions-free 250 MW, 1 GWh power plant in less than three months on a three-acre footprint – four times faster than a traditional fossil fuel power plant of that size. Megapack can also be DC-connected directly to solar, creating seamless renewable energy plants.</blockquote><p>The Megapack also replaces the need for "peaker" natural gas power plants, Tesla explained. These are power plants that fire up whenever the local grid can't meet demand.</p>
<p>"They cost millions of dollars per day to operate and are some of the least efficient and dirtiest plants on the grid," Tesla wrote.</p><p>Construction on the company's Moss Landing project will begin at the end of the month and should be completed by the end of 2020, NBC Bay Area reported.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Hyundai to Leapfrog Tesla With World's Largest Battery - EcoWatch ›
- Mass-Market Electric Pickup Trucks and SUVs Are on the Way ... ›
- Tesla's Massive Australian Battery Responds to Coal Power ... ›
- World's Largest Liquid Air Battery Will Help the UK Go Carbon Neutral - EcoWatch ›
- Startup Company Recycles Electric Car Batteries ›
- Tesla Doubles Quarterly Profits Amid Pandemic - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
Trees that Tesla wants to clear in order to build a Gigafactory near Gruenheide, Germany on Jan. 21, 2020. Sean Gallup / Getty Images
Tesla can continue clearing a forest outside Berlin in order to build a new Gigafactory factory, a German court ruled Thursday.
<p>The company is planning its first European <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicles" target="_self">electric car</a> and battery factory in the town of Gruenheide, but local environmental groups opposed the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/trees" target="_self">tree</a> clearing necessary to construct it, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-gigafactory/court-allows-tesla-to-clear-forest-for-german-gigafactory-idUSKBN20E2UH" target="_blank">Reuters explained</a>. The court had issued a temporary injunction against the tree felling Sunday, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/19/germans-divided-plans-tesla-electric-car-factory-environmentalists-tree-felling" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>, but its decision now to allow the trees to be cleared is final and cannot be appealed, <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/german-court-tosses-injunction-allows-tesla-to-clear-trees-for-factory-near-berlin-2020-02-20" target="_blank">MarketWatch pointed out</a>.</p>
<p>The factory has divided environmentalists in Germany, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/tesla-wins-court-approval-to-build-gigafactory-by-clearing-forest-in-germany/a-52454649" target="_blank">DW explained</a>. On the one hand, Tesla plans to clear 92 hectares of forest for its factory. Local environmental groups are worried about how it will impact <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife" target="_self">wildlife</a> and water supply, and their vocal opposition has surprised authorities, according to Reuters. Demonstrations against the plant have drawn hundreds.</p><p>Local environmental group Grüne Liga Brandenburg (Green League Brandenburg) also argued that the company should not have been granted permission to clear trees until the March 5 deadline for environmental groups to comment on the factory, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-20/tesla-gets-go-ahead-to-resume-clearing-forest-for-german-factory" target="_blank">Bloomberg reported</a>.</p>
<p>"To fell half of the forest when many aspects of this process are yet to be clarified seems fairly problematic, which is why we have asked the court to deal with it," Heinz-Herwig Mascher of Grüne Liga said, according to The Guardian. "It is not that we have something as such against Tesla as a company or its objectives. But we are concerned the preferential treatment they're being given could set a precedence."</p><p>On the other hand, the Gigafactory will produce at least 500,000 electric cars every a year, DW pointed out, making it part of the fight against the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a>. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has also argued that the forest was not natural, but was planted for cardboard. He also said the plant would not use as much water as the peak estimates that had alarmed activists.</p>
<div id="0229f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="WX99TM1582293911"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1220938613862436865" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@EvaFoxU @Tesla Sounds like we need to clear up a few things! Tesla won’t use this much net water on a daily basis.… https://t.co/0oi9YhR8yh</div> — Elon Musk (@Elon Musk)<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/statuses/1220938613862436865">1579929424.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Some environmental leaders took his side.</p><p>"[Y]ou don't always have to oppose everything," Berlin Green Party politician Ramona Pop said, as DW reported. "It is absurd to declare a pine plantation as a forest. We need to keep some perspective. Tesla's future investment should be allowed quickly for clean mobility and climate protection."</p><p>In its ruling Thursday, the court decided that the local authorities did not violate any laws when they allowed work on the factory to start, Bloomberg reported. Their decision means that Tesla should be able to finish clearing and begin construction before the breeding and nesting period for local wildlife in mid March. This will put the company on track to meeting its goal of opening the Gigafactory in the middle of 2021.</p>Musk said on Twitter that the plant would be designed with "<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sustainability" target="_self">sustainability</a> and the environment in mind," and that the company would plant three trees for every tree cut down.
Related Articles Around the Web
- Elon Musk: Brexit to blame for building Tesla Gigafactory in Germany ›
- Tesla 2019 Highlights & Lowlights — Sustainable Energy ... ›
- Tesla faces protest at Gigafactory 4 site over cutting down the forest ... ›
- Planned Tesla Gigafactory in Germany drives wedge between locals ... ›
- We went to the German town where Tesla's new Gigafactory will be ... ›
Read More
Show Less
Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
From Your Site Articles
- Best CBD Oils of 2020: Reviews & Buying Guide - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Oil for Pain Management - Top 10 CBD Oil Review 2020 ... ›
- Best CBD for Dogs 2020 - Organic CBD Oil for Pets - EcoWatch ›
- Full Spectrum CBD Oil: What To Know - EcoWatch ›
- Charlotte's Web: A Review of the Certified B Corp CBD Brand ›
- Best CBD Waters: Plus All You Need to Know - EcoWatch ›
- The Best Water Soluble CBD Available Online - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD for Sleep (Lab-Tested, Person-Tested Oils) - EcoWatch ›
- CBD Oil for Dogs: 7 Benefits & Treatment Guide - EcoWatch ›
- NuLeaf Naturals CBD Review | Are They Worth The Cost? - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Capsules & Pills - Buyer's Guide (Update for 2021) - EcoWatch ›
- Because Price Matters: Most Affordable CBD Oils of 2021 - EcoWatch ›
- Strongest CBD Oils to Buy in 2021? - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Oils For Pain: Top 3 Brands of 2021 - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Vape Pen: Top Brands of 2020 - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Trump's Christmas Gift to Big Oil: Killing Hopes of Electric Car Tax Credit Extension
19 December 2019
Politics
Trump tours the Shell Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex with Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Shell Oil company President Gretchen Watkins and Shell Pennsylvania Vice President Hilary Mercer in Monaca, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 13, 2019. NICHOLAS KAMM / AFP via Getty Images
By Dana Drugmand
The oil industry, a staunch opponent of electric vehicles (EVs), received an early Christmas present from the White House as President Trump reportedly intervened to quash an EV tax credit expansion from inclusion in a government spending package.
<p>The <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/electricvehicles/electric-vehicles-tax-credits-and-other-incentives" target="_blank">tax credit</a> is meant to help offset the upfront cost of electric vehicles and boost the EV market. Consumers who purchase an EV can currently claim a credit up to $7,500, and the credit phases out once auto manufacturers sell 200,000 qualifying vehicles. <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/tesla">Tesla</a> and General Motors have both hit the 200,000-vehicle cap and had lobbied for an extension. A <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-electric-taxcredit-exclusive/exclusive-u-s-bill-to-boost-electric-car-tax-credits-could-rev-gm-tesla-idUSKCN1RM1NG" target="_blank">bipartisan proposal</a> called for allowing a $7,000 credit for an additional 400,000 vehicles sold.</p><p>That proposal, introduced earlier this year as the Driving America Forward Act, was rolled into a broader <a href="https://mikethompson.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/chairman-thompson-ways-and-means-democrats-unveil-growing-renewable-energy" target="_blank">package of incentives for renewable energy</a> that proponents hoped to pass as part of an end-of-year spending deal. But groups tied to the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/koch-network">Koch network</a> and backed by oil industry funding worked hard to kill the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">clean energy</a> incentives. These groups <a href="https://www.americanenergyalliance.org/2019/12/coalition-to-senate-leaders-put-the-brakes-on-electric-vehicle-subsidies/" target="_blank">sent a letter</a> to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell last week urging the Senate to oppose any bill that includes an EV tax credit extension.</p><p>Ultimately the EV provision was dropped from the spending package. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/greggardner/2019/12/17/tesla-gm-lose-bid-to-raise-ceiling-for-federal-ev-tax-credit/#4917e53f616f" target="_blank">According to Forbes</a>, "In last-minute negotiations over a massive package of spending bills designed to avert a government shutdown, the EV provision was lost in the shuffle and that was the outcome Republicans and President <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/trump-watch/">Trump</a> wanted."</p><p>Trump specifically pushed for excluding the EV tax credit, as Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-16/trump-helped-nix-electric-car-tax-measure-sought-by-tesla-gm" target="_blank">reported</a>.</p><p>"There has been extreme resistance from the president. I don't know why the White House would want to stop jobs and the future of the auto industry," <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-16/trump-helped-nix-electric-car-tax-measure-sought-by-tesla-gm" target="_blank">said</a> Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, one of the original sponsors of the Driving America Forward Act.</p><p>According to Bloomberg, <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-helped-nix-electric-car-204241413.html" target="_blank">White House pressure</a> was a key factor in eliminating the EV tax credit extension: "White House officials warned lawmakers that if they tried to expand the electric vehicle credit as part of a compromise spending bill, it could tank the measure, according to two people familiar with the matter. The issue is particularly heated in the West Wing and among conservatives who view the credit as mainly benefiting rich Californians and Tesla."</p><p>The <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/american-energy-alliance-aea" target="_blank">American Energy Alliance</a>, the main recipient of grant funds from the <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/american-fuel-petrochemical-manufacturers-afpm" target="_blank">American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM)</a>, a major oil refinery trade organization,<a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/thomas-pyle" target="_blank"> </a>was one of the chief groups working to defeat the EV policy. In a press release, the AEA responded to the news by <a href="https://twitter.com/AEA/status/1206974893780275200" target="_blank">thanking</a> the president and applauding him for "holding the line."</p><p>"President Trump stuck to his guns against a Congress hell-bent on saddling the cost of the Green New Deal on middle class American taxpayers. Companies like General Motors (GM) and Tesla have been clamoring for more taxpayer dollars to prop up their subsidy-based business model by doing everything in their power to influence our legislative process in their favor. But common sense has prevailed. President Trump deserves all the credit for holding the line on the electric vehicle tax credit expansion," AEA President <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/thomas-pyle" target="_blank">Thomas Pyle</a>, a former lobbyist for <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/koch-industries-inc" target="_blank">Koch Industries</a>, said in a <a href="https://www.americanenergyalliance.org/2019/12/president-trump-holds-the-line-protects-middle-class-taxpayers-from-the-green-new-deal/" target="_blank">statement</a>.</p><p>While AEA is calling the defeat of the EV tax credit extension a "holiday reprieve for taxpayers," the move is perhaps more accurately described as a holiday gift to the oil industry, which continues to bask in <a href="https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-fossil-fuel-subsidies-a-closer-look-at-tax-breaks-and-societal-costs" target="_blank">billions of dollars in federal subsidies</a> each year.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2019/12/18/trump-oil-driving-america-forward-electric-car-tax-credit-extension" target="_blank">DeSmogBlog</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
- How the Koch Network's 'Social Change' Strategy Is Built to Kill the ... ›
- Trump and Big Oil Want to Pull the Plug on the Electric Car Market ... ›
- GM Is Bringing Back the Hummer — as an Electric Vehicle ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Trending
Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk discusses vehicle dimensions in front of the newly unveiled all-electric battery-powered Tesla Cybertruck at Tesla Design Center in Hawthorne, California on Nov. 21. FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP via Getty Images
Tesla just unveiled its first electric truck.
CEO Elon Musk showed off the new design at a launch event at the company's Design Studio in Hawthorne, California Thursday.
<p>"We need sustainable energy now," Musk said, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-pickup/tesla-unveils-electric-pickup-truck-futuristic-design-ignites-controversy-idUSKBN1XW0BT" target="_blank">Reuters</a>. "If we don't have a pickup truck, we can't solve it. The top 3 selling vehicles in America are pickup trucks. To solve sustainable energy, we have to have a pickup truck."</p><p>But some commentators questioned whether Tesla's new <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicles" target="_self">electric vehicle</a> would attract traditional pickup buyers. Teslas and other electric vehicles tend to sell in the coastal U.S., while truck sales are highest in the Midwest, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/22/cars/tesla-cybertruck-electric-pickup-truck/index.html" target="_blank">CNN pointed out</a>. The overall electric truck market is not expected to be large in the near future, according to Reuters: tracking firm IHS Markit estimates electric trucks will only account for about 75,000 sales in 2026 compared to three million trucks sold total. (These estimates do not account for the Tesla model.)</p><p>Then there's the design of the truck itself, which is, as CNN described, far from traditional:</p><blockquote>When the truck initially drove onto the stage, many in the crowd clearly couldn't believe that this was actually the vehicle they'd come to see. The Cybertruck looks like a large metal trapezoid on wheels, more like an art piece than a truck.<br><br>Instead of a distinctly separate cab and bed, the body appears to be a single form. The exterior is made from a newly developed stainless steel alloy, Musk said, the same metal that's used for SpaceX rockets.</blockquote><p>The futuristic design may not appeal to typical truck lovers.</p><p>"It will be a niche product at best and poses no threat in the pickup market as we know it today," Kelley Blue Book senior managing editor Matt DeLorenzo told CNN.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8d1b40a44bdcb8d37db187db988da0ab"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SwvDOdBHYBw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<p>However, fellow Kelley Blue Book employee executive publisher Karl Brauer thought the truck would appeal to a different market — fans of high tech.</p><p>"Everything from its styling to its drivetrain will be a major departure from standard pickup trucks," he said in a statement reported by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/21/business/tesla-pickup-truck-reveal.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>. "As a technology statement for tech-oriented professionals and fans, this truck's departures from the norm will be seen as assets, not liabilities."</p><p>Tesla announced three models at different prices: a $39,900 single-motor rear wheel drive, a $49,900 dual motor all wheel drive and a $69,900 tri-motor all wheel drive. The most expensive car will be able to tow 14,000 pounds and drive 500 miles before recharging. The cheapest model will be able to travel half that, according to CNN.</p><p>Production on the trucks is expected to begin in late 2021 and they are now available for order on the Tesla website, The New York Times reported.</p><p>The truck is also advertised as being especially resilient. Musk said its doors could resist a bullet from a nine millimeter handgun, and Tesla's chief designer Franz von Holzhausen hit them with a sledge hammer during the unveiling to prove their strength. They remained undented.</p><p>A test of the windows, however, did not go as well. When von Holzhausen threw a metal ball at the front and near left windows, they smashed.</p><p>Musk swore and then said, "Room for improvement," <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-50513294" target="_blank">BBC News reported</a>.</p><p>"It didn't go through, that's a plus side," Musk said further, according to BBC News. "We threw wrenches, we threw literally the kitchen sink at the glass and it didn't break. For some reason it broke now… I don't know why."</p><p>Jessica Caldwell of vehicle marketplace Edmunds told BBC News she thought the "fail" would overshadow the announcement of the new truck.</p><p>Tesla isn't the only company looking to make electric trucks in the coming years. Both General Motors and Ford plan to sell electric trucks by the end of 2021, according to Reuters. Ford also invested $500 million in a startup called Rivian, which plans to build electric trucks starting in the fall of 2020.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Mass-Market Electric Pickup Trucks and SUVs Are on the Way ... ›
- Anheuser-Busch to Launch Largest Electric Class 8 Truck Fleet in ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Tesla Model Y. Tesla
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the company's second mass-market electric vehicle at its Southern California design studio Thursday night: the Model Y.
<p>The car is a compact SUV that will have a range of 300 miles, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/14/18264446/tesla-model-y-suv-compact-announcement-price-release-date-features-elon-musk" target="_blank">The Verge reported</a>. Three versions will be available for sale in fall of 2020: a $47,000 long-range version, a $51,000 all-wheel drive dual-motor version and a $60,000 performance version. A cheaper standard version with a 230 mile range will sell for $39,000, but won't be available until 2021.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8e43386681179913f7bd3e5406915613"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w3s1awGu1-M?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<p><br> </p><p>The Model Y looks essentially like a larger version of the Model 3, the company's first mast-market car, according to The Verge. The <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tesla-model-3-electric-car-2630376229.html" target="_self">Model 3 just became available</a> for its target $35,000 price two weeks ago, three years after the car was first announced.<br></p><p>The announcement comes at a difficult time for Tesla, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-47570133" target="_blank">BBC News reported</a>. Musk was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2018 after tweeting about Tesla going private. The launch in 2019 of the $35,000 Model 3 came with a decision to lower prices across the board, at the expense of closing the majority of the company's retail outlets. But customers, employees and landlords complained, so the company reversed course and raise prices again, except for on the Model 3s, according to The Verge and BBC News.</p>
<div id="6c221" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6NSWG91568219060"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1105318154375376897" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Tesla car prices go up ~3% next week, except for $35k Model 3. Order online at https://t.co/46TXqRrsdr before then for current prices.</div> — Elon Musk (@Elon Musk)<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/statuses/1105318154375376897">1552363358.0</a></blockquote></div><p>In addition, <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/tesla-model-3-loses-cr-recommendation-over-reliability-issues/" target="_blank">Consumer Reports</a> revoked its recommendation of the Mode 3 in February, saying customers had reported problems with body hardware, paint and trim.</p><p>Executive Director of Industry Analysis at Edmunds Jessica Caldwell told The Verge the Model Y could be an important car for Tesla if it plays its cards right, seeing as SUVs currently sell very well in the U.S.:</p><blockquote>"If Tesla truly wants to be a mainstream brand, it's going to have to figure out how to sell cars to people besides young men in California," Caldwell said in a statement. "Tesla has the right foundation for the Model Y to be a turning point: Tesla has the youngest buyer base of any luxury brand, and the Model X has more female buyers than any other vehicle in the brand's lineup. If the Model Y is priced right, offers a roomy interior, and delivers flawless safety and quality, it has the potential to be the 'it' vehicle for young families."</blockquote><p>But Tesla does have competition. Most German automakers either already do or soon will ship electric SUVs.</p>Transit, driven largely by <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_self">fossil-fuel</a>-powered cars and other land vehicles, is the fastest growing source of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change" target="_self">climate-change</a> causing emissions, according to the <a href="https://www.who.int/sustainable-development/transport/health-risks/climate-impacts/en/" target="_blank">World Health Organization</a> (WHO.) The sector is also currently responsible for the largest share of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at 28 percent, according to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions" target="_blank">most up-to-date data</a> from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (<a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/epa" target="_self">EPA</a>).
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
A new plug-in electric truck is in development, along with an electric SUV. Richard Truesdell / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
By Venkat Viswanathan and Shashank Sripad
Electric vehicles — specifically, the Tesla Model 3 — are dominating the U.S. market for premium sedans, but are barely even on the radar in the busiest automotive category, which includes SUVs and pickup trucks.
The immediate reason is economics, but it has a lot to do with physics as well: Larger, heavier, less aerodynamic electric vehicles need larger, heavier, more expensive batteries to power them. Our research has looked at the energy needed to move cars and trucks along the road, and has identified the important factors that affect power usage.
<p>
We have developed an <a href="https://jscalc.io/embed/I78Wqhhw7mUzPwIq" target="_blank">applet</a> that can provide estimates of how much energy an electric vehicle would need to carry on board for a given driving range. This lets consumers determine how big a battery pack their car will need. The applet can provide a comparison of difference in energy consumption among sedans, pickup trucks and SUVs. Tesla's Model 3 and the <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1102338251497431040" target="_blank">Model Y crossover SUV will use the same battery pack</a>, so our applet lets consumers compare the difference in driving range between a sedan and SUV.
</p><h2>How Do Electric Vehicles Work?</h2><p>
There are three forces resisting any effort to move a car on a flat road: wind resistance, friction from the road and inertia. Using the specifications of a vehicle's design, including its weight, dimensions and shape, we can calculate the energy needed to get the vehicle to start and stay moving. From there, we can determine how long the car can travel at a certain speed, and estimate how far it can go before needing to recharge its batteries.
</p><p>
The actual range of the vehicle can vary widely, depending on the exact driving scenario, such as moving on a highway or driving in a city. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (<a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/epa">EPA</a>) provides a set of standardized drive profiles for different conditions (<a href="https://www.epa.gov/vehicle-and-fuel-emissions-testing/dynamometer-drive-schedules" target="_blank">such as urban, highway or a combination</a>), each of which specifies the speed of the car as it travels. The EPA also publishes a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/vehicle-and-engine-certification/overview-certification-and-compliance-vehicles-and-engines" target="_blank">certification report</a> that provides many characteristics, including the battery pack size and range of a given vehicle. This provides a consistent set of data with which we compare different cars, SUVs and trucks.</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dcc9bdb832be986daae4b1d5aa0e6887"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8CV6mKkwhec?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Rivian R1S Electric SUV - Exterior and Interior Walkaround - Debut 2018 LA Auto Show</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">
<a href="https://youtu.be/8CV6mKkwhec" target="_blank">youtu.be</a>
</small>
</p>
<p>Those sorts of calculations are common for gas-powered vehicles. Electric cars also have an additional element to factor in: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhOEoXfxHMc" target="_blank">regenerative braking</a>, which lets cars recharge their batteries when slowing down.<br></p><p>
An early test of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0671711jes" target="_blank">our approach</a> involved the <a href="https://www.axios.com/researchers-try-to-crack-teslas-wall-of-silence-on-model-3-battery-1513304688-a31c1006-85f0-41f3-b7fa-b57393867fc1.html" target="_blank">Tesla Model 3</a>. We calculated how much energy it would need, how much it could regenerate along a trip and how much battery storage would need to be on board. We predicted that for the car to fulfill its promised 310-mile range before needing to recharge, it would have to store about <a href="https://www.axios.com/researchers-try-to-crack-teslas-wall-of-silence-on-model-3-battery-1513304688-a31c1006-85f0-41f3-b7fa-b57393867fc1.html" target="_blank">80 kilowatt-hours in its battery bank</a>. That calculation was later borne out by <a href="https://iaspub.epa.gov/otaqpub/display_file.jsp?docid=42148&flag=1" target="_blank">the EPA certification report</a>.
</p><p>
Since that first success, we have analyzed a wide range of electric vehicles, allowing us — and consumers — to compare their energy efficiency and power consumption, and earning us the title "<a href="https://qz.com/1446315/" target="_blank">Battery Police</a>."
</p><h2>On to Electric Pickup Trucks</h2><p>
Our method isn't just limited to cars. We have used it to analyze tractor-trailers <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsenergylett.7b00432" target="_blank">that haul freight long distances</a>. And we are beginning to examine <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/15/rivian-announces-700-million-investment-round-led-by-amazon.html" target="_blank">pickups and SUVs as they come onto the market</a>.
</p><p>
Trucks are bigger and, often, less aerodynamically designed than cars, meaning they typically encounter more wind resistance. Friction and inertia increase for heavier vehicles. All of those mean a truck needs more energy to get, and stay, moving.
</p><p>
Once we know the amount of energy, we can calculate the battery pack size or driving range. The price of battery packs has <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2018-12-21/bnef-brief-lithium-battery-prices-fall-18-percent-video" target="_blank">dropped significantly</a> over the past decade.
</p><p>
By studying vehicle characteristics, we can help compare different electric vehicles' battery needs and costs, which can help consumers evaluate options when they're considering buying an electric car, a future SUV or an electric pickup truck. Within the applet, different vehicles currently can be selected. The change in driving range for different average driving speeds can be computed.
</p><p>
In addition, a custom electric vehicle with any battery pack size can be designed and the applet will answer questions about energy consumption, range and the total weight of the vehicle with the battery pack. This can be used to compare and understand the differences among vehicles.</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="cd6b1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="GZGP6C1576663943"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1086977415677538305" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">EVs 101: Your Guide to Electric Vehicles https://t.co/UrqZtU34o3 #Electricvehicles #Transportation #Energy https://t.co/wgsHfIAC4m</div> — Renewable Search (@Renewable Search)<a href="https://twitter.com/RenewableSearch/statuses/1086977415677538305">1547990585.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
<p><em>Venkat Viswanathan is an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.<br></em><em>S<span style="background-color: initial;">hashank Sripad is a </span>Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.<br></em><em>Disclosure statement: Venkat Viswanathan is a consultant for Pratt & Whitney. He is a technical consultant, owns stock options and is a member of Advisory Board at Zunum Aero. He is a technical consultant for Quantumscape. His research group receives funding from Airbus A^3, Quantumscape, Zunum Aero, Volkswagen, Toyota Research Institute.<br></em><em>Shashank Sripad receives funding from Zunum Aero and Airbus A^3 to undertake research as a Ph.D. Student at Carnegie Mellon University.</em></p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://theconversation.com/mass-market-electric-pickup-trucks-and-suvs-are-on-the-way-107952" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
</p><script async="async" data-counter="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/107952/count?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" id="theconversation_tracker_hook" src="https://theconversation.com/javascripts/lib/content_tracker_hook.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
From Your Site Articles
- Electric Vehicle Sales Foretell a Big Oil Crash - EcoWatch ›
- Environmental Advocates Call for Ban on SUV Ads - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Tesla Model 3 cars arriving at a port in Shanghai. Zhao Yun / VCG via Getty Images
Three years after it was first announced, Tesla's Model 3 is now available for $35,000 in the United States, The Verge reported Thursday.
"We are incredibly excited to announce that the standard Model 3, with 220 miles of range, a top speed of 130 mph and 0-60 mph acceleration of 5.6 seconds is now available at $35,000!" the company announced in a blog post. "Although lower in cost, it is built to achieve the same perfect 5-star safety rating as the longer-ranged version, which has the lowest probability of injury of any car ever tested by the U.S. Government."
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="be5da" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="VL696B1576663944"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1101246410446430209" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">$35,000 Tesla Model 3 Available Now
https://t.co/xZ0J4rbbgM</div> — Tesla (@Tesla)<a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla/statuses/1101246410446430209">1551392579.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>This is now the cheapest <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicles" target="_self">electric vehicle</a> on offer from the company, bringing the Model 3 price-point down from the $42,900 it went for after a price reduction this February.<br></p><p>"From the beginning, this has been the goal," Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on a press call reported by The Verge. "It's an incredible car."</p><p>The car is available to order now online in the U.S. and will be available in Europe and China in three to six months. </p><p>In addition to the newly-discounted Model 3, Tesla also announced other variations on the car at newly low prices, including a Model 3 Standard Range Plus for $37,000 that gets 240 miles on the charge and a Mid Range for $40,000 that gets 264 miles per charge.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="8b674" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="IC3JFR1576663944"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1101273665943961600" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Model 3s now available
Standard Range: 220mi, $35k
Standard Range Plus: 240mi, $37k
Mid Range: 264mi, $40k
Long R… https://t.co/A891MuqeJK</div> — Tesla (@Tesla)<a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla/statuses/1101273665943961600">1551399077.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>The move squares with the goal of the company as announced by Musk in 2017, according to <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2019/02/28/tesla-launches-long-awaited-35-000-model-3/3020046002/&source=gmail&ust=1551531858867000&usg=AFQjCNF5E3goSNWlvqg53uk4l2gaB2vCpA" target="_blank">USA Today</a>.</p><p>"The whole point of Tesla was to build a great affordable electric car," Musk said when the first Model 3s were released. </p><p>The lower prices come at a cost though: Tesla is moving to all online sales. This is what allowed the company to reduce all vehicle prices by an average of six percent. The company will shut down most of its retail stores, keeping a few open in particularly busy locations as showcases and information hubs. This means Tesla will have to lay off staff, Musk admitted on the press call reported by The Verge.<br></p><p>"There's no other way for us to achieve the savings required to provide this car and be financially sustainable," he said. "I wish there was some other way, but unfortunately, it will entail reduction in force on the retail side. There's no way around it."</p><p>In order to bypass the need for a test drive, the company touted a generous return policy.</p><p>"You can now return a car within 7 days or 1,000 miles for a full refund. Quite literally, you could buy a Tesla, drive several hundred miles for a weekend road trip with friends and then return it for free. With the highest consumer satisfaction score of any car on the road, we are confident you will want to keep your Tesla," the announcement said.</p><p>Musk hinted at the announcement with a cryptic series of three tweets on Wednesday. </p><p>"Thursday 2pm." "California." "Some Tesla news." he wrote.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="61c0d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="92VLEC1576663944"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1100672354932256773" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Some Tesla news</div> — Elon Musk (@Elon Musk)<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/statuses/1100672354932256773">1551255713.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>Musk has gotten in trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) before for his tweets, as USA Today explained:<br></p><blockquote>On Monday, the SEC filed a claim against Musk for not complying with an agreement reached with the Wall Street regulatory agency in late September. The SEC accused Musk of securities fraud after the Tesla chairman tweeted that "Tesla made 0 cars in 2011, but will make around 500k in 2019."</blockquote><p>It is not known if Tesla approved Musk's tweets Wednesday, but they caused its stock to jump five percent. </p>Transportation is responsible for the largest share of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions" target="_blank">most up-to-date data</a> from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (<a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/epa" target="_self">EPA</a>). Most of this is due to the burning of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_self">fossil fuels</a> for vehicles including cars.<p><br></p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="792eb" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="BVIEMP1576663944"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="962327857321066503" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Top Clean Cars and Trucks of 2018 https://t.co/GEEUua5BX6 #renewable #solar #wind #PV https://t.co/ZX5w810xNn</div> — Renewable Search (@Renewable Search)<a href="https://twitter.com/RenewableSearch/statuses/962327857321066503">1518271815.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Trending
Toyota Yaris hybrid 2017.
Kārlis Dambrāns / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
One of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. is from burning fossil fuels for transportation, so accelerating the electrification of our planes, trains and automobiles is crucial in a clean energy future.
<p>
In a recent interview with
<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/01/07/toyota-aims-for-electrified-option-for-every-model-by-2025.html" target="_blank">CNBC</a>'s <em>Squawk Box</em>, Bob Carter, executive vice president of sales for Toyota Motor North America, spoke about the Japanese automaker's <a href="https://www.toyota.com.au/main/news/toyota-accelerates-plans-for-electrified-vehicles" target="_blank">plans</a> to offer an electrified option for every model in the Toyota and Lexus line-up by 2025. This includes hybrids, plug-in hybrids, full electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.</p><p>
"We are working on an entire portfolio of hybrids which we have been selling since 1997, plug-in hybrids, full battery electric vehicles as well as our fuel cell vehicles," Carter said on the show. "Those vehicles represent about 9 percent of our sales in 2018. We have set a goal that it will be 15 percent of our sales next year in 2020."
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d38eb37916cd095545187cb8eee7fa11"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/naN40spDu9c?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Toyota aims for electrified option for every model by 2025</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naN40spDu9c" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><p>
Toyota's ambitions are a major shift away from traditional gas guzzling vehicles—and that commitment should be commended.
</p><p>
However, instead of pouring its resources into purely electric cars—à la Elon Musk's
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/tesla" target="_self">Tesla</a>—Toyota is focusing more on gas-electric vehicles.
</p><p>
"Our strategy is to keep utilizing our hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and eventually bring in battery-electric vehicles as the market grows," Carter told CNBC.
</p><p>
But Toyota could be missing the boat by sidestepping fully electric cars,
<a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/dave-reichmuth/electric-vehicle-sales-are-taking-off-in-2018" target="_blank">sales of which are taking off and poised to accelerate</a>.
</p><p>
As
<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/07/toyota-pushes-hybrids-despite-slowing-gas-electric-auto-sales--.html" target="_blank">CNBC's Phil LeBeau wrote</a>:
</p><blockquote>
"Toyota's emphasis on hybrids comes at a time when U.S. demand for the traditional gas-electric vehicle is dropping. LMC Automotive estimates full hybrid sales in the U.S. fell 6 percent last year, while Toyota's hybrid sales dropped 5 percent.
<br>
<br>
The lower price of gasoline gives potential buyers less incentive to opt for a hybrid over a model powered by an internal combustion engine. Another factor: The growing number of electric models for sale gives eco-friendly buyers the option to plug in and stop pumping gas. In that area, Tesla, not Toyota has become the clear leader."
</blockquote><p>
Toyota sold about 28,000 plug-ins in U.S. last year, compared to the 191,000 EVs Tesla reportedly sold, LeBeau noted.
</p><p>
Fred Lambert, the editor in chief of the electric vehicle blog Electrek, also said it was "dumb" for Toyota to not focus on a mass-market EV.
</p><p>
"If the EV market is small right now, it's not because people don't want to buy EVs, it's because the industry is not manufacturing enough attractive all-electric vehicles at a decent price," he wrote in a <a href="https://electrek.co/2019/01/07/toyota-tesla-lead-shuns-all-electric-electrified-2025/" target="_blank">blog post</a>.
</p><p>
Toyota's commitment to an electrified fleet was announced in Decemeber 2017 an environmental push. The company said it would no longer develop models without an electrified version.
</p><p>
"Electrified vehicles, which are effective for economical consumption of fuel and promoting usage of alternative fuels, are indispensable in helping to solve current environmental issues," Toyota said then in a press release.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="8fd09" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5PA2TZ1576662590"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1070250471779131392" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Government subsidies for electric vehicles and solar panels are an important tool to help accelerate a clean energy… https://t.co/1NhzEYsvK0</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/1070250471779131392">1544002571.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
Read More
Show Less
150-megawatt energy storage system (ESS) for Korea Zinc. Hyundai Electric
South Korea's Hyundai Electric & Energy Systems will soon complete a massive lithium ion battery in the industrial city of Ulsan.
When it goes live in three months, Hyundai's 150-megawatt system will overtake Tesla's 100-megawatt facility in South Australia as the world's largest industrial energy storage system, Independent.ie reported. Sorry, Elon Musk.
<p>
It's an exciting—albeit geeky—race to help the planet wean off environmentally harmful
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tesla-australia-battery-2514064636.html">fossil fuels</a>. That's because if we want to accelerate the world's <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/" target="_self">renewable energy</a> transition, we'll have to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/battery-storage-renewable-energy-2526629658.html" target="_blank">modernize the energy grid</a> and much of that depends on energy storage technology.
</p><p>
Tesla famously built its ginormous battery within 100 days after Australian billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/elon-musk-australia-2309117728.html" target="_blank">dared Musk</a> to help fix the South Australian's electricity woes. The system, which is connected to Neoen's Hornsdale <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wind" target="_self">wind</a> farm, has <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tesla-australia-battery-2568719032.html" target="_blank">exceeded expectations</a> after switching on about a year ago. The <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tesla-australia-battery-2520491667.html" target="_self">lightning-fast system</a> has saved about $40 million in grid stabilization costs, prevented blackouts and helped restore confidence in the state's energy resources, the <a href="https://www.afr.com/business/energy/solar-energy/south-australias-big-battery-slashes-40m-from-grid-control-costs-in-first-year-20181205-h18ql1" target="_blank">Australian Financial Review</a> noted.
</p><p>
Hyundai's $45 million battery is being built for the metal smelting company <a href="https://www.koreazinc.co.kr/english/main/page/main.aspx" target="_blank">KoreaZinc</a>, which intends to be energy self-sufficient and wants to reduce electricity costs, according to
<a href="http://www.climateaction.org/news/hyundai-electric-to-break-the-record-for-worlds-largest-battery" target="_blank">Climate Action</a>. The company estimates it will save almost $60 million in electricity expenses over the next three years once the facility is built. KoreaZinc is also complying with the South Korean government's larger efforts to boost renewables and mitigate air pollution, the publication added.
</p><p>
These large-scale projects are enabled by less expensive battery prices, with prices dropping by almost half since 2014, according to
<a href="https://www.bloombergquint.com/technology/musk-s-battery-boast-will-be-short-lived-as-rivals-go-bigger#gs._BieF00" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a>.
</p><p>
Other entrepreneurs are joining in the big battery race, including billionaire Sanjeev Gupta's SIMEC ZEN Energy, which plans to build a
<a href="http://fortune.com/2018/03/16/sanjeev-gupta-tesla-australia-battery/" target="_blank">120-megawatt battery</a> near Adelaide. Tesla <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tesla-largest-battery-2547905274.html">is also vying</a> to build another giant Powerpack system in Colorado for Xcel Energy Inc., an electric utility operating in eight Western and Midwestern states.
</p><p>
Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) estimated that developers announced 1,650 megawatts per hour of new lithium-ion battery projects in 2017, four times the amount for all of 2016.
</p><p>
"Musk has set a benchmark on how quickly you can install and commission a battery of this size," Ali Asghar, a BNEF senior associate, said in a Bloomberg interview.
</p><p>
Falling costs are "making them a compelling mainstream option for energy-storage applications in many areas around the world, and projects even bigger than Tesla's are now under construction."
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="451b9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="HR7DF31576662615"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="954073189289791488" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Battery Storage Revolution Could 'Sound the Death Knell for Fossil Fuels' https://t.co/HXbegsfUqn @Tesla @elonmusk… https://t.co/7d7APPuBUd</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/954073189289791488">1516303748.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Trending
Max Pixel
By Dana Drugmand
Koch Industries is calling for the elimination of tax credits for electric vehicles (EVs), all while claiming that it does not oppose plug-in cars and inviting the elimination of oil and gas subsidies that the petroleum conglomerate and its industry peers receive.
Outgoing Nevada Republican Senator Dean Heller introduced a bill in September that would lift the sales cap on electric vehicles eligible for a federal tax credit, and replace the cap with a deadline that would dictate when the credit would start being phased out.
<p>Under the current tax credit for EVs, once a manufacturer sells 200,000 EVs in the U.S. the amount of the credit gets slashed in half, then halved again. The full credit amount is $7,500. <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/tesla">Tesla</a> has already hit the 200,000 cap and GM will soon reach it, so both companies would benefit from a tax credit extension via eliminating the sales cap. Heller's <a href="https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/s3582/text" target="_blank">bill</a> lifts the 200,000 vehicle limit and substitutes a phase-out period starting in 2022.</p><p>But the conservative senator's bill is <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-25/koch-targets-endangered-gop-senator-s-car-credit-that-aids-tesla" target="_blank">facing opposition</a> from the conservative billionaire <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/koch-brothers">Koch brothers</a>.</p><p>In a <a href="https://news.kochind.com/media-resources/On-The-Issues/Koch-Urges-Senate-to-Allow-Innovation-and-Consumer" target="_blank">letter</a> to senators dated Oct. 24, Koch Industries lobbyist Philip Ellender urges opposition to the expansion of EV tax credits through 2022. Ellender claims that the tax credits primarily benefit wealthy consumers and that subsidization interferes with "innovation and consumer choice."</p><p>The letter cites two studies, each by a right-wing think tank. One study comes from the <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/pacific-research-institute" target="_blank">Pacific Research Institute</a>, which has received <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels">fossil fuel</a> funding—including more than $1.7 million from Koch-related foundations and $615,000 from <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/exxon">ExxonMobil</a>. The <a href="https://www.pacificresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CarSubsidies_final_web.pdf" target="_blank">PRI study</a>, "Costly Subsidies for the Rich: Quantifying the Subsidies Offered to Battery Electric Powered Cars," emphasizes that "the majority of the dollar benefits from energy and electric car subsidies are paid to tax filers in the higher income tax brackets."</p><p>The other study is from the <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/manhattan-institute-policy-research" target="_blank">Manhattan Institute</a>, another "free market think tank" that takes in money from the Koch network and Exxon. The <a href="https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/short-circuit-high-cost-electric-vehicle-subsidies-11241.html" target="_blank">study</a> paints a misleading picture of EVs and their subsidies.</p><p>In addition to citing biased studies by groups tied to Koch money, Ellender claims in the letter, "We do not oppose electric vehicles."</p><p>This sentiment echoes <a href="https://www.kochvsclean.com/koch-industries-all-for-electric-cars/" target="_blank">the company's 2016 advertorial</a>, in which Koch Industries claimed to be "all for electric vehicles."</p><p>Ellender also claims that Koch Industries is against any and all energy subsidies, even ones that benefit the company. According to the letter:</p><blockquote>Instead of expanding this subsidy for wealthy EV owners, Congress should eliminate it along with all other energy incentives—including eliminating any incentives given to us and our competitors where we may participate. We are focused on long-term value creation, not short-term windfalls.</blockquote><p>In reality, while Koch Industries is claiming publicly to support ending fossil fuel subsidies (along with EV and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">clean energy</a> incentives), Koch lobbyists have long worked to ensure that the petroleum industry continues to get subsidized.</p><p>As <a href="https://www.kochvsclean.com/koch-industries-all-for-electric-cars/" target="_blank">Koch vs. Clean</a> previously pointed out, "In a <a href="https://www.publicintegrity.org/2011/04/06/3936/kochs-web-influence" target="_blank">detailed 2011 report on Koch Industries, the Center for Public Integrity wrote</a>: 'Oil is the core of the Koch business empire, and the company's lobbyists and officials have successfully fought to preserve the industry's tax breaks and credits.' The report documented that Koch lobbyists have worked to preserve billions of dollars in oil industry subsidies, including the Section 199 manufacturing tax deduction and the 'last-in, first out' accounting rule."</p><p>In fact, according to the International Business Times, <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/charles-koch-blasts-subsidies-tax-credits-his-firm-has-taken-195-million-worth-them-2034949" target="_blank">Koch Industries has itself directly secured subsidies totaling more than $195 million</a>.</p><p>The Koch network also lobbied for the Trump tax cuts that became law late last year. The corporate tax cut is not specific to energy, but it benefits giant corporations including <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/big-oil">Big Oil</a> and Koch Industries nonetheless. <a href="https://americansfortaxfairness.org/koch-brothers-1-billion-tax-cut/" target="_blank">Americans for Tax Fairness estimated</a> that the Kochs would save more than $1 billion just this year from the tax cut—a significant windfall for a corporate behemoth that claims, <em>"</em>We are focused on long-term value creation, not short-term windfalls."</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="3cd3f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ANYGUQ1576662656"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="984081334950875136" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Koch vs. California: These Groups Want Pruitt to Undo the State’s Right to Regulate Auto Emissions… https://t.co/QqVojSadKD</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/984081334950875136">1523458248.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
<p><i>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2018/11/09/koch-industries-lobbies-against-electric-vehicle-tax-credit" target="_blank">DeSmogBlog</a>.</i><br></p>
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Solar energy panels and wind turbines in Shanghai, China. Chinaface / Getty Images
Facebook announced Tuesday it will slash greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent and transition global operations to 100 percent renewable energy by the end of 2020 in efforts to "help fight climate change."
Similarly, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted over the weekend that his company's enormous Gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada will run entirely on Tesla Solar by the end of 2019.
<p>
The switch would drastically reduce the electric car maker's manufacturing-related emissions,
<a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2018/08/27/tesla-gigafactory-to-be-powered-100-by-tesla-solar-by-end-of-2019/" target="_blank">CleanTechnica</a> noted.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style="">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODM5MzU5Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyODE0NDcyMn0.Ndk1_yXyib8mCPRI4KCULa6TqlDie3oOjfanl1q8aYk/img.png?width=980" id="0987d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e14550d5b9bfd3c8c41f7847f2e8aed4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">Twitter</small>
</p><p style="">
Facebook, which has more than 30,000 employees and data centers around the world, said Tuesday it has already bought more than 3 gigawatts of new <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/solar">solar</a> and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wind">wind</a> energy since its first renewable energy purchase in 2013. The social media giant's goal of supporting half of its facilities with renewable energy was met a year early in 2017.
</p><p style="">
As the world becomes increasingly digitized, our smartphones, tablets and other internet-connected devices could produce 3.5 percent of global emissions within 10 years and 14 percent by 2040,
<a href="http://www.climatechangenews.com/2017/12/11/tsunami-data-consume-one-fifth-global-electricity-2025/" target="_blank">Climate Home News</a> reported last year.
</p><p style="">
A 2015
<a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa" target="_blank">Greenpeace</a> report found that if the internet were a country, its electricity demand would currently rank sixth. The report underscored the importance of tech companies going green, as they <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/9-companies-leading-the-charge-to-green-the-internet-and-7-that-arent-1882040007.html" target="_blank">have immense clout</a> to drive a <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">renewable energy</a> revolution.
</p><p>
"CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reaffirmed Facebook's place among business leaders in the race to be coal-free and 100 percent renewable-powered," Greenpeace senior corporate campaigner Gary Cook said in a
<a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/breaking-greenpeace-applauds-new-facebook-climate-clean-energy-commitment/" target="_blank">statement</a>.
</p><p style="">
Cook added, "If we are to stay within the 1.5 degree threshold that scientists say is crucial to avoid catastrophic climate change, we need many more companies stepping up to adopt aggressive renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals."
</p><p>
<span></span>Other Silicon Valley titans have made clean energy strides. <a href="https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/environment/meeting-our-match-buying-100-percent-renewable-energy/" target="_blank">Google</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/apple-renewable-energy-2558687892.html" target="_blank">Apple</a> separately announced in April they have reached 100 percent renewables.
</p><p>
<span></span>The Gigafactory is part of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/elon-musk" target="_blank">Musk</a>'s vision to fast-track a cleaner, more sustainable future. It <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/teslas-massive-gigafactory-will-be-net-zero-energy-powered-by-100-rene-1882120175.html">was always designed to be</a> entirely powered by renewable energy sources, with the goal of achieving net zero energy.
</p><p>
The Gigafactory is being built in phases so Tesla and its partners can manufacture products while the building continues to expand. It
<a href="https://www.tesla.com/blog/battery-cell-production-begins-gigafactory" target="_blank">officially</a> kicked off the mass production of lithium-ion battery cells in January 2017.
</p><p>
<span></span>The structure already has a footprint of more than 1.9 million square feet and more than 4.9 million square feet of operational space across several floors. It's currently about 30 percent complete, but once it's finished it will likely hold the title of world's largest building by footprint, Tesla <a href="https://www.tesla.com/gigafactory" target="_blank">says</a>.
</p><p>
In March, Tesla started building a massive rooftop solar array on top of the giant building. Once finished, the 70-megawatt system will be the largest in the world by far; the
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/worlds-largest-solar-rooftop-system-goes-online-will-power-8-000-homes-1891142279.html" target="_blank">current record-holder</a> is the comparatively shrimpy 11.5-megawatt array in India that can power 8,000 homes.
</p><div class="rm-embed embed-media">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/108958187" width="640">
</iframe>
</div>
Read More
Show Less
Tesla's Massive Virtual Power Plant in South Australia Roars Back to Life
25 May 2018
Renewable Energy
Powerwall residential battery with solar panels. Tesla
Tesla's plans to build the world's largest virtual power plant in South Australia will proceed after all.
The $800 million (US $634 million) project—struck in February by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill—involves installing solar panels and batteries on 50,000 homes to function as an interconnected power plant.
<p>
But the plan was nearly scrapped under the new state government headed by Liberal leader Steven Marshall, who was elected in March. Marshall's government had their own plan to offer discounts on battery storage for 40,000 homes.
</p><p>
In a happy twist, Energy Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan announced at the Australian Energy Conference this week the newly elected government would proceed with both plans.
</p><p>
"It's very important to be clear about this—we are honoring the existing commitments around the Tesla virtual power plant (VPP)," he said, as quoted by Australia's <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-24/tesla-battery-plan-gets-green-light-from-sa-liberals/9794486" target="_blank">ABC News</a>.
</p><p>
Van Holst Pellekaan, who met with Tesla soon after he was sworn in, added that he wants South Australia to become a world leader in home battery installation.
</p><p>
By doubling down, the state will eventually emerge with some 100,000 household batteries, or more than one in ten homes, <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/sa-liberals-vow-to-continue-energy-transition-go-big-in-batteries-93367/" target="_blank">Renew Economy</a> noted.
</p><p>
<span></span>"We'll show the world how the mass adoption of home batteries can and will work," he said. "This is a complicated task—I don't think that anyone has attempted to do what we're about to do at this scale relative to population and market size."
</p><p>
The virtual power plant involves installing a 5-kilowatt solar system and a Powerwall 2 battery on roughly 50,000 low-income and social housing units across the state over the next four years. The setup would be installed at no charge to the households and financed through the sale of electricity. Participants would save an estimated 30 percent on their power bills.
</p><p>
"My government has already delivered the world's biggest battery, now we will deliver the world's largest virtual power plant," Weatherill said then. "We will use people's homes as a way to generate energy for the South Australian grid, with participating households benefiting with significant savings in their energy bills.
</p><p>
Tesla
<a href="https://phys.org/news/2018-02-tesla-australia-homes-power.html" target="_blank">told</a> AFP that the virtual power plant would have 250 megawatts of solar energy and 650 megawatt hours of battery storage.
</p><p>
<span></span>"At key moments, the virtual power plant could provide as much capacity as a large gas turbine or coal power plant," the company added.
</p><p>
Van Holst Pellekaan also said at the Australian Energy Conference that the trial phase, which starts with installing home energy systems on 1,100 public housing properties, is currently proceeding.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="8953f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="E6WSTZ1576662768"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="996038531817537537" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Tesla's Giant Australian Battery Saved Consumers $35 Million in Four Months https://t.co/0sgrLy8vaF @Tesla… https://t.co/1XIeb68OZp</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/996038531817537537">1526309066.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
Read More
Show Less