https://electrek.co/2022/06/27/tesla-megapacks-replace-hawaii-last-remaining-coal-plant/ Tesla Megapacks are about to replace Hawaii’s last remaining coal plant Fred Lambert - Jun. 27th 2022 5:09 am Tesla Megapacks are on their way to Hawaii in order to create a giant new energy storage system that is about to replace the state’s last remaining coal power plant. Hawaii aims to reach 100% green energy by 2045 and already has the highest amount of solar capacity deployed per capita. However, in order to handle all that renewable energy, the state needs to balance it with energy storage capacity since the sun doesn’t always shine. Tesla has been deploying batteries in Hawaii for years in order to help toward that goal. The company works with Hawaiian Electric on giant new battery systems and on a virtual power plant using Powerwalls. Now the Tesla Megapacks are coming to Hawaii, and they will be used to retire the state’s last coal power plant. Once completed, the Kapolei Energy Storage facility (KES) will become one of the largest battery systems in the world with a capacity of 185 megawatts/565 megawatt-hours. It is a project in partnership with Plus Power and Hawaiian Electric – the former decided to use Tesla Megapacks to power the system. Megapack is Tesla’s largest energy storage solution – a container-size battery system with a capacity of up to 3 MWh. 158 Megapacks are on their way to Hawaii’s Oahu to build the project. The goal is to have the project operational by September 2022 when Hawaii’s last remaining coal plant, which is located just down the road from KES, is expected to be retired. The coal power plant is used to maintain grid frequency – something Tesla’s energy storage products have proven capable of doing – and that’s what KES is aiming to do along with absorbing excess solar power during the day and discharging during the evening. Plus Power’s lead developer Bob Rudd said at a ground blessing ceremony last year (via Canary Media): “Here, today, on Oahu, Plus Power and Hawaiian Electric are sending a postcard from the future. I’m certain that someday we’ll all look back, when there are dozens of projects just like KES on the mainland and all across the world, and we’ll think, ‘We were there. Hawaii showed the world how to do it first.’ “ Plus Power also says that the Tesla Megapack will act as a “black-start” system to jump-start the island’s electric grid if it gets shut down by any calamity. They are calling it the “Ultimate pacemaker for the grid.” For Tesla, it is quite a large project with 565 MWh of Megapacks to deploy, but the company has deployed larger systems, like the recently commissioned Moss Landing project, which has a capacity of 730 MWh and is planned for an expansion to over 1GWh.
Here's my question. For how long can all the battery power in Hawaii supply it's electrical needs if they get a week of cloudy weather?
Really. That's what Germany thought when they shut down all their nuclear power stations and then said "Rut roh."
Worst case is probably a 25 percent drop in Hawaii as solar is not actually most efficient in a hot climate. No biggie there are its still a bright day compared to other latitudes. Hawaii is about the same as México City and the Sahara desert.
I'll take nuclear over coal any day. Remember though that Germany decided to shut all its nuke plants after Chernobyl. Who would have thought that the Soviet Union would fall and, other than for its planners, that Ukraine would seek true independence from Russia leading to a slavic war, while Germany, seeking to remove the threat and fears of a nuclear accident on its soil, decided to make a deal with now post communist Russia to supply them with their energy, a plan thwarted by western embargo against Russia for invading their Slav cousins for wanting to try out democracy for a change. Crazy, no?
Dude, no. Chernobyl had nothing to do with Germany shutting down their plants. It weirdly was about going green these past few years! And they were stupid about the plan! Oh my heavens.
My bad. Apparently it was the Fukushima disaster in 2011 that sealed the deal for Germany to do away with nuclear energy although, when in government, the Greens pushed for the denuclearization of Germany as early as 2000.