The Powerpack units allow trains cutbacks on energy consumption and can be used as a backup power generator if an outage occurs. (Image Credit: Tesla)
Tesla's latest installation of their Powerpack units in Osaka, Japan invites backup power to trains in the region. Installation included 42 Powerpack units that will help to reduce peak energy demands on the grid. If an outage were to occur, trains and passengers would still be able to travel to the nearest station due to the functionality of the units. There would be enough power to allow the trains to run for up to 30 minutes.
The 7MWH project, in partnership with Kintetsu, a railway operator in Osaka, Japan is one of the largest development projects in Asia. What's more remarkable is that installation time of the units was very short, completing the installation in just two days. Osaka has one of the busiest running trains in the country, mostly due to millions of people using the transportation system consistently. According to Japan's Transportation Bureau, Osaka's trains were carrying an estimated 2.4 million people per day in 2013.
Each Powerpack includes 16 battery pods with its own DC-DC converter. The power electronics maximize performance across the pods and allows it to be replaced easily. Powerpacks have also been tested over a billion-mile drive in a Model S. The safety and reliability of the Powerpacks also comes with hundreds of installed sensors. Temperature control within a Powerpack is efficient and made possible by the internal liquid cooling and heating system. It can last in all types of weather due to its dual coolant and refrigerant loop system inspired by the Model S, allowing a better performance than air cooling.
Ron Baron, a well-known billionaire, has predicted that Tesla Energy would be worth $500 billion, putting the total worth of the company at $1 trillion. Inventors like Elon Musk have also praised the growth of Tesla Energy with the CEO taking note that 2019 will be a promising year for the Solar Roof and Powerwall, increasing popularity for the company's battery storage business. The company was also able to distribute 1.04 GWh of energy storage in 2018, nearly tripling the amount recorded in 2017, which was totaled at 358 MWh.
The company has used the Powerpack battery successfully in different cities to support their energy grid in the past. Places like South Australia and Puerto Rico have used the Powerpacks to their advantage, with Puerto Rico using them to help recover from damages of Hurricane Irma in 2017. Meanwhile, South Australia has used a Powerpack farm to start a battery storage initiative by eliminating the need to burn fossil fuels. Hope it works.
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