Plus Power has unveiled the Kapolei Energy Storage (KES) facility in Oahu, Hawaii. This project, powered by Tesla's innovative Megapack 2 XL batteries, marks a critical step in Hawaii's transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources such as solar and wind.
Central to this achievement are 158 Tesla Megapack batteries. These massive units, each akin to a shipping container, cumulatively deliver 185 megawatts of power capacity and 565 megawatt-hours of electricity. This deployment is a testament to Tesla's technological prowess and a significant milestone in energy storage and grid management.
Tesla's Expanding Role in Sustainable Energy
For Tesla enthusiasts, the KES project demonstrates how Tesla's technology is revolutionizing the energy sector, extending beyond electric vehicles to a comprehensive approach to sustainable energy. Tesla's Megapack, also used by Apple, is not just a battery; it's a key component in the global transition to sustainable energy.
Mike Snyder from Tesla highlights the project's uniqueness: it's the first time a standalone battery site has provided grid-forming services at this scale. This underscores Tesla's Megapack inverters' role in transforming energy storage and grid management.
Balancing the Grid
Brandon Keefe, Executive Chairman of Plus Power, emphasizes the project's groundbreaking nature. This initiative represents the first time a major utility has used a battery system to balance a power grid, providing fast frequency response, synthetic inertia, and black start capabilities. This pioneering use of battery systems like Tesla's Megapack is critical for grid stability and renewable integration.
Strategically located near Honolulu, KES is crucial for Hawaii's isolated grid, where managing the fluctuations of renewable energy sources is essential. The facility stands out for its rapid response capability, reacting in just 250 milliseconds, significantly quicker than traditional combustion-powered plants.
Maximizing Renewable Energy Usage
One of the key challenges in Hawaii has been managing the surplus solar and wind power to maintain grid balance. KES is expected to reduce the curtailment of renewable energy by 69% over the next five years and enable a 10% increase in new utility-scale renewables.
Besides enhancing grid stability and renewable energy integration, KES is predicted to bring economic benefits. Hawaiian Electric's filing suggests modest reductions in electric bills, reflecting the broader economic advantages of transitioning to renewable energy.
KES is technically impressive, with 135 MW / 540 MWh of capacity and energy, 50 MW / 25 MWh of additional 'fast frequency response,' and features like 'virtual inertia' and 'black start' capabilities. These elements are crucial for smooth power supply and quick recovery in blackout scenarios.
The Kapolei Energy Storage facility, powered by Tesla's Megapack, is a beacon for renewable energy adoption worldwide. It exemplifies how innovative battery storage can revolutionize energy grids, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future.
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The greatly anticipated FSD v12.4 is around the corner, with Elon Musk mentioning that it will be going to employees this weekend, with limited external testers next week.
Several significant improvements are coming with V12.4, which is being compared to the leap in performance that was previously seen between V12 and V11.
Improved Comfort and Reduced Interventions
There are quite a few improvements expected with V12.4, which Musk has said will be focused on user comfort by reducing hard accelerations and sudden braking. According to Musk, FSD v12.4 is also expected to have a 5-10x improvement in time between user interventions, which means that Tesla is rapidly approaching its goal for the Robotaxi announcement on August 8, 2024.
Steering Wheel Nag Removal
FSD V12.4 is expected to eliminate the steering wheel nag, as Musk confirmed its removal last week. The camera-based driver monitoring system will be taking over, providing a hands-free experience. These improvements will most likely benefit owners who have cabin cameras with infrared lights the most, while Tesla may continue to use steering wheel nag as a fallback mechanism.
Driverless Autopark
The second key feature that may be included in v12.4 will be Banish Autopark, previously known as Reverse Summon, allowing you to choose a parking spot, exit the vehicle and have the car park itself. Whether this feature makes it in v12.4 is yet to be seen, but Musk has mentioned that parking without a driver is coming soon.
Automatically Seek Parking Spot at Destination
Finally, your Tesla will now traverse a parking lot and automatically enter Autopark mode when arriving at a destination, according to a post from Musk.
Eligibility and Branch
Tesla recently added FSD v12.3.6 to the 2024.14 branch with updates 2024.14.5 and 2024.14.6. This makes it very likely that Tesla’s next FSD version will also be based on 2024.14, meaning that it will be available to any vehicle on 2024.14.x.
For users on update 2024.3.25, this means that they’ll receive all of the features included in updates 2024.8 and 2024.14, which should make it a massive update.
Release Date
Musk has mentioned that FSD V12.4 is going out to employee vehicles for internal testing this weekend, with external testing starting next week. The rollouts typically go slower than predicted but looks like we may see this begin shipping to customers by the end of the month.
Today, as part of a broader change of tariff rates on Chinese goods, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he’ll raise tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China, increasing the rate from 25% to 100%, effective this year.
This increase won’t just impact the import of vehicles, but also the rate for lithium-ion batteries produced in China, which will be moving from 7.5% to 25%.
Impact on Competition
The immediate impact of this new regulation is significant for Chinese manufacturers, who have been regarded as Tesla’s largest and greatest competition. Given the tariff hike, this means that new Chinese manufacturers, such as Nio, XPeng, or BYD, will either need to set up production in North America, or be subject to the increased import tariff.
Nio’s vehicles cost between $40,000 USD to $70,000 USD in China based on today’s conversion rates, and with an import tariff of 100%, an imported vehicle’s price would be doubled to $80,000 USD to $140,000 USD, not including other fees. Chinese manufacturers will have to closely weigh the advantages and disadvantages of opening up the North American market, with challenges including vehicle homologation, new tariffs, and a difficult EV market.
Tesla and Chinese Tariffs
Elon Musk recently visited China, engaging with officials to build a foundation for what is currently the world’s largest electric vehicle market. With the potential import of Chinese EVs becoming restricted to the United States, this places Tesla in an advantageous position over its Chinese competitors who have yet to establish their brands in North America.
On the other hand, this could also impact Tesla, as they import Chinese batteries for usage in some vehicles in the United States.
Tesla does not import Gigafactory Shanghai vehicles to the US, but has been increasing North American battery production lately, with expansions in Lathrop, California and a new facility in Sparks, Nevada.
Canadian Tariffs
In Canada, the Model 3 and Model Y are currently being imported from Gigafactory Shanghai. Given Canada’s close following of US foreign policy, this could impact either the prices of Tesla vehicles in Canada or have Tesla shipping vehicles from Fremont and Texas to the United States once again, should Canada also adopt a similar tariff policy.
TeslaFi logs your drives and charging sessions, letting you keep a log of your vehice's activity. We highly recommend checking them out if you use your car for business trips and would like to keep track of reimbursements, if you like to see how much you spend on charging or if you just love statistics. Visit their site and see everything they have to offer!
Tesla Android Project enables you to run Android apps in your Tesla. The platform is Open Source and you can deploy it on your own Raspberry Pi 4. Consider supporting the initiative by donating or purchasing the Compute Module 4 Bundle that delivers the best experience. Get $20 off by using the code: NotATeslaApp
The official Tesla app only notifies you if your car is broken into. By installing Sentry Pro on your phone, you will be notified for all Sentry Mode events. Stay connected and avoid potential surprises by receiving notifications. Stop constantly checking the cameras to ensure safety. Check only when necessary, save battery and get peace of mind. Get a 7 day free trial here!
Stay organized, connected, and stylish with Cyberbackpack — the #1 backpack, luggage & travel accessories for Tesla owners. We highly recommend checking them out if you commute or travel and would like a backpack or luggage that is sleek, secure and durable. View their products page and see everything they have to offer!
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