Words by Infinite Wiz
Tuesday Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed specs for its Powerpack batteries, which are being used to restore power to Hospital del Niño in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Tesla will use its batteries and solar panels to restore power to Puerto Rico during the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The children’s hospital is the “first of many” Tesla projects that will help return electricity to Puerto Rico since 85% of the island is still without power following the Category 4 storm.
Though 98% of the hospitals in Puerto Rico are open very few have steady and reliable electricity. Puerto Rico’s Governor Ricardo Rossello initiated talks in earlier this month with Musk about using Tesla batteries and solar panels to build microgrids around the island. Microgrids can operate independently of the main power grid to provide power generated by renewable energy resources.
Puerto Rico has said it could take six months before its power grid is repaired and returning power to the island’s 3.5 million residents. With sustainable development, such as Tesla’s microgrid project, destruction of this magnitude to the US territory’s infrastructure won’t happen again. Perhaps it can serve as a best practice for the world.
Tesla’s first microgrid project in Puerto Rico was announced on Tuesday on Twitter. Tesla showed it has already started constructing a solar field behind the hospital and its Powerpack batteries are currently on site.
