Elon Musk sets crazy deadlines for himself and more often than not, he ends up meeting these deadlines. He made a bet on Twitter with the Australian billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes that he can make the largest battery in the world in just hundred days to solve Australia’s power grid issues.
Musk tweeted, “100 days from contract signature or it’s free.” The countdown officially started in Septemeber and he still had a little time left to complete the largest battery in the world but he just announced that it is complete. Even though the tests still have to be carried out, it will deliver more than 100 megawatt-hours of power to the surrounding areas.
Musk took to Twitter once again to appreciate Tesla and the Australian authorities.
Congratulations to the Tesla crew and South Australian authorities who worked so hard to get this manufactured and installed in record time! https://t.co/M2zKXlIVn3
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 23, 2017
The next few days will see the carrying out of tests to ensure that the largest battery in the world meets AEMO and South Australian Government standards before it officially begins operation on the first of December. The battery is connected to Neoen’s Hornsdale Wind farm near Jamestown, just three hours drive from Adelaide.
“While others are just talking, we are delivering our energy plan, making South Australia more self-sufficient, and providing back up power and more affordable energy for South Australians this summer,” said Premier Jay Weatherill in a media statement. “The world’s largest lithium-ion battery will be an important part of our energy mix, and it sends the clearest message that South Australia will be a leader in renewable energy with battery storage.”
Musk believes Australia to be the perfect place for renewable energy technology. “Australia is perfect for solar power because it’s not too far north or too far south. You can have the entire country solar powered or some combination of wind, solar, geothermal and hydro. Australia could actually export power to Asia,” he told 60 Minutes presenter Liz Hayes.
We will see in the coming days how the tests on this battery go.