The small island of Ta u, lost in the middle of the Pacific , was until now known for being the birthplace of the people of polynesian, like the other islands of american Samoa. This small territory of the volcano is now under the spotlight of Tesla and SolarCity, who have chosen several months ago to carry out a common project : to make the island almost self-sufficient thanks to renewable energies.
The marriage between the society of Elon Musk and solar energy producer in hardly formalized, the two companies have wanted to hit it hard with the unveiling this week of the outcome of their ambitious project in a promotional video . In a heavenly setting between the setting sun disappearing in the waves and lush forest, we see stand up to the 5.238 solar panels installed on the island by SolarCity and 60 Powerpacks signed Tesla.
To this isolated island, situated at over 6,400 kilometres off the west coast of the United States, this installation is the guarantee of not ending up in failure of fuel oil. “I remember a time where they have not been able to send a single boat for two months,” says Keith Ahsoon, a resident quoted in the press release from SolarCity .
The solar energy thus offers an economic alternative to diesel, providing ” nearly 100% of the energy needs of the island.” The local hospital, primary and secondary schools, firefighters, police and local businesses benefit.
The solar system micro-grids (1,4 megawatt of production capacity for the panels and 6 megawatt-hours of storage battery for Powerpacks) has been installed in only a year.
The “Powerpacks” of Tesla, those big batteries that allow to convert solar energy and store it, allow people to light up the night thanks to the energy stored in the day. They recharge in full in seven hours and, in the case of an emergency, if there is not enough sun or that the solar panels are out of service, can cover the energy needs of the island for three days.
440.000 litres of diesel saved per year
“, But the biggest advantage is the cost, ” insists SolarCity in its press release. The ” solar eliminates the expenses and problems related to the shipment of the diesel fuel and provides energy costs stable for decades, unlike the fluctuations in the prices of fuels “.
This is the bet of the cost that were made by the local institutions investing in this solar park. The project was funded by the economic development Authority of the American Samoa, the Agency of environmental protection and the Department of the Interior, and should allow the island to save money each year 440.000 litres of diesel.
another publicity stunt to reassure after the merger
Tesla and SolarCity were in desperate need of this publicity stunt. Elon Musk is able to win his bet by entering into this merger with the producer of solar energy, but the markets are expressing doubts on the relevance of this union , particularly because of the financial health of SolarCity, riddled with debt and accumulating losses. Since the announcement of the project last June, Tesla has lost $ 4.8 billion stock market valuation and SolarCity $ 86 million.
This island made almost self-sufficient thanks to Tesla-SolarCity is a proof that holds up Elon Musk to demonstrate that its objectives are attainable : Tesla has ensured that SolarCity will contribute to the new entity to the tune of $ 1 billion of sales next year.
ideal conditions
The feat of SolarCity is yet to be put into perspective. The installation has certainly been fast and allows you to solve a real problem of energy supply, but this is under ideal conditions. The island is sunny all year round and only 800 people reside there (873 according to the latest us census of 2010).
It is thus necessary to count approximately 6 solar panels per capita on this piece of land of 44 km2 (more than two times smaller than the surface area of the city of Paris). It pushes me to wonder if solar energy really was the good solution is to install tidal turbines in the ocean (or wind turbines) seems to be more relevant than to cut thousands of trees and centrally of the panels in the middle of the island, a facility that is somewhat aesthetic.
This is the choice that has made the Spanish island of El Hierro, in the Canary islands archipelago. In 2014, a central hydroéolienne has been installed , allowing it to become the first island in the world completely self-sufficient in electricity thanks to renewable energies. Unlike solar panels to Tesla, this system has taken three decades to be installed, but the scheme has been designed to adapt to the specificities of the island and to take in the time.
The installation of SolarCity and Tesla has yet to make its evidence on the long term, especially in the maintenance of solar panels, before it can be reproducible on other islands the population and the more important needs.
The official video presentation of SolarCity
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