Plus Power has unveiled the Kapolei Energy Storage (KES) facility in Oahu, Hawaii. This project, powered by Tesla's innovative Megapack 2 XL batteries, marks a critical step in Hawaii's transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources such as solar and wind.
Central to this achievement are 158 Tesla Megapack batteries. These massive units, each akin to a shipping container, cumulatively deliver 185 megawatts of power capacity and 565 megawatt-hours of electricity. This deployment is a testament to Tesla's technological prowess and a significant milestone in energy storage and grid management.
Tesla's Expanding Role in Sustainable Energy
For Tesla enthusiasts, the KES project demonstrates how Tesla's technology is revolutionizing the energy sector, extending beyond electric vehicles to a comprehensive approach to sustainable energy. Tesla's Megapack, also used by Apple, is not just a battery; it's a key component in the global transition to sustainable energy.
Mike Snyder from Tesla highlights the project's uniqueness: it's the first time a standalone battery site has provided grid-forming services at this scale. This underscores Tesla's Megapack inverters' role in transforming energy storage and grid management.
Balancing the Grid
Brandon Keefe, Executive Chairman of Plus Power, emphasizes the project's groundbreaking nature. This initiative represents the first time a major utility has used a battery system to balance a power grid, providing fast frequency response, synthetic inertia, and black start capabilities. This pioneering use of battery systems like Tesla's Megapack is critical for grid stability and renewable integration.
Strategically located near Honolulu, KES is crucial for Hawaii's isolated grid, where managing the fluctuations of renewable energy sources is essential. The facility stands out for its rapid response capability, reacting in just 250 milliseconds, significantly quicker than traditional combustion-powered plants.
Maximizing Renewable Energy Usage
One of the key challenges in Hawaii has been managing the surplus solar and wind power to maintain grid balance. KES is expected to reduce the curtailment of renewable energy by 69% over the next five years and enable a 10% increase in new utility-scale renewables.
Besides enhancing grid stability and renewable energy integration, KES is predicted to bring economic benefits. Hawaiian Electric's filing suggests modest reductions in electric bills, reflecting the broader economic advantages of transitioning to renewable energy.
KES is technically impressive, with 135 MW / 540 MWh of capacity and energy, 50 MW / 25 MWh of additional 'fast frequency response,' and features like 'virtual inertia' and 'black start' capabilities. These elements are crucial for smooth power supply and quick recovery in blackout scenarios.
The Kapolei Energy Storage facility, powered by Tesla's Megapack, is a beacon for renewable energy adoption worldwide. It exemplifies how innovative battery storage can revolutionize energy grids, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Tesla news, upcoming features and software updates.
Rendering of what Tesla's license plate feature could look like
Not a Tesla App
Tesla update 2024.38 has started rolling out to several regions and vehicles. Thanks to Tesla hacker Greentheonly, we have a behind-the-scenes look at some new features coming to Teslas.
License Plate Display
According to Greentheonly, it looks like Tesla may soon let you display your actual license plate in the vehicle’s visualization on the screen. In our article, The Most Request Tesla Features, several readers suggested displaying the vehicle’s license plate in the visualization instead of a blank, white plate.
It looks like Tesla will be doing just that, at least in China. Green found references that appear to conclude that you’ll be able to display your vehicle’s plate on screen. This will likely be user input, so you could have it say anything you’d like, and it doesn’t have to be your actual license plate.
For many owners, who may find it difficult to remember their license plate, this could serve a practical purpose in addition to adding to the visualization's realism.
While Green was only able to say it’ll be available in China, we expect this is due to China’s software development team working on it and that it’ll eventually be released worldwide.
While code for this feature was found in update 2024.38, we may not be turned on in China yet. We suspect this feature may be a strong candidate for Tesla’s upcoming holiday update.
FSD Hardware Version Display
As part of the 2024.38 update, Tesla has now made it easy to determine whether your vehicle includes Hardware 3 or Hardware 4. You can now simply navigate to Controls > Software and tap Additional Vehicle Information. In addition to other hardware information about your vehicle, your Autopilot hardware version will now be listed as well.
You can see whether your vehicle has HW2.5, HW3, or AI4. This in-car display is useful, but if you don’t have access to the vehicle, you can always use our guide on how to determine the hardware version of a Tesla.
New Battery Health Test & Service Mode Improvements
Green found some additional things as well. There’s a new and improved Battery Health Test. The new test will show you how your car scores compared to similar vehicles in the Tesla fleet.
In addition, maintenance records can now be permanently stored “in the car.” It doesn’t appear that this feature is activated yet, but it’s likely in active development with some parts leaking out in the 2024.38 update.
Tesla has included various Service Mode improvements and new visualizations in this update.
Mr Li on X came across some covered-up Project Juniper vehicles recently and he managed to get various shots of the vehicle.
Juniper Images
This front image reveals what looks like two rows of lights, possibly confirming the front light bar for the Model Y refresh — similar to the one on the Cybercab.
The rear side has a lot of lights on it!
Mr Li on X
The rear side shows a ton of brake lights, but it’s not clear why. While it looks like the Model Y refresh will also feature a rear light bar similar to the Cybertruck, there isn’t strong evidence of that in this photo.
Mr Li on X
There's an obvious set of lights at the bottom, so it looks like the Model Y refresh will be similar to the new Model 3 where the bottom lights can operate as brake lights when the one-piece tail lights and trunk are up.
Mr Li on X
In the last photo, we see that the overall form factor of the refreshed Model Y will remain unchanged, and Tesla is focusing the changes on the front and rear ends of the vehicle, much like the Model 3 refresh. However, in this one shot, we can also see what appears to be red light leaking out of the rear camera cover opening, possibly due to the rear light bar.
The Model Y is not only Tesla’s best-selling vehicle but also the world’s best-selling car in 2023. This year, it’s expected to be the best-selling vehicle in the United States and again in the world, so this refresh will be huge for Tesla.
@DominicBRNKMN made another fantastic set of concepts based on these new images. Given he had the most accurate Model 3 Highland concept before the official launch, we’re pretty sure his latest work be close here as well.
@DominicBRNKMN
We’re super excited to see the eventual reveal of Project Juniper, which is expected in the first half of 2025. However, expect to see a few more leaks before production kicks off at Giga Shanghai.
![Tesla Safety Numbers Continue to Improve Alongside Feature Advancements [Vehicle Safety Report]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2021/emergency-braking.jpg/fa9cced4bf8348db88679602faa5dae5.jpg)
![Tesla is Expanding the Free FSD Trial For Some [Updated]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2024/trial_extension_tescalendar.jpg/a788359dad50b67c79e117776014e4b5/trial_extension_tescalendar.jpg)
