A Group of Companies, Including Amazon and Target, Pilot Tesla's New Powerpack Battery System

Posted by: Higgins_James // Student

As part of a select group of companies, Amazon has launched a pilot of Tesla Energy’s new stackable battery units to supplement older data center power capacity units. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced their unveiling of a 4.8-megawatt hour pilot of Tesla’s energy storage batteries in the Western region of the United States. Other companies participating include Target, Jackson Family Wines, and Enernoc. This past November, Amazon made a commitment to strictly use 100 percent clean, renewable energy, this was following critical comments made by Greenpeace.

Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has shared his vision to slowly rid the grid of fossil fuel based plans and sites, as part of building the improved energy grid of the future. Tesla has been building cohesive batteries for their electric cars for over ten years. Now they’ve designed a rechargeable battery to store energy for off grid, supplemental power systems. The Powerpack is the company’s utility scale stackable battery that includes storage for large facilities and companies, and the electric grid.

Amazon will be using these ‘Powerpacks’ to assist in running its web service platform. AWS VP and distinguished engineer James Hamilton says the implementation of Tesla’s new battery technology will make it easier for the company to rely on renewable energy sources. He said that these batteries will “bridge the gap between intermittent production, from sources like wind, and the data center’s constant power demands.”

Amazon believes that this pilot program will help jump start a movement of other large companies switching over to more renewable means of energy. Along with moving towards being 100 percent renewable, Amazon looks to achieve a much greater goal of “reducing the technical barriers limiting widespread adoption of renewables in the grid.”

In April, Amazon joined the American Council on Renewable Energy while also announcing its involvement in the U.S. Partnership for Renewable Energy Finance (USPREF). Amazon looks to expand their work with federal policymakers and other stakeholders to increase the amount of renewable energy opportunities and projects

The age of alternative energy sources are upon us, with companies like Amazon and Tesla working together to change perspectives and make a difference we will slowly reach our goal to rid all fossil fuel energy sources.

For more information click the link below:
http://www.greendatacenternews.org/articles/share/807413/