Energy

Tesla’s “Autopilot for grid-type batteries” now manages over 1.2 GWh of energy storage

Credit: Tesla

Autobidder, Tesla’s machine learning-driven energy management software described by Senior Vice President of Powertrain and Energy Engineering Drew Baglino as “Autopilot for grid-tied batteries,” is now managing more than 1.2 GWh worth of energy capacity. 

The rather remarkable update was shared on LinkedIn by Rohan Ma, an energy veteran who worked at SolarCity before coming aboard Tesla in February 2017 as part of its Energy Products Optimization team. While sharing recent reports about a massive battery project in Angleton, Texas, Ma noted that the Autobidder portfolio is operating over 1.2 GWh in 2021.

“With the Autobidder portfolio operating over 1.2 GWh in 2021, we’re pumped to be launching in Texas this summer. Always interested to connect with people who have experience in ERCOT,” Ma wrote. 

With this in mind, it appears that the upcoming Angleton, Texas battery would also be using Autobidder. The same will likely be true for other high-profile Tesla Energy projects in the United States, such as the Moss Landing battery, which seems to be nearing completion. The Moss Landing battery installation is massive, being a formidable 182.5 MW/730 MWh system when fully completed. 

During a previous earnings call, Tesla executive Drew Baglino noted that Autobidder is basically Autopilot for grid-type batteries, and it is a pivotal aspect of the company’s strategy to ensure grid stability. Tesla CEO Elon Musk explained the nature of the system further, as well as its innate potential. 

“It’s just grid stabilization at the most heightened level, so it just shows that things are super smooth. It’s like a UPS, uninterruptible power supply, of a normal size but just ensure that this grid is smooth sailing. And then the batteries, the computers, like all, interact with each other and make sure that they’re working together to make the grid smooth. And this can be done with the Powerwalls and the Megapacks and the Powerpacks all working together and interacting with third-party systems as well,” Musk said. 

Autobidder is arguably one of Tesla’s most underrated products, with its use of machine learning to manage energy projects. As per Autobidder’s official page, the system’s algorithms are capable of performing various functionalities, including price forecasting, load forecasting, generation forecasting, dispatch optimization, and smart bidding. Autobidder is currently being used in the Hornsdale Power Reserve, where it has helped drive down energy costs through market bidding. 

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Tesla’s “Autopilot for grid-type batteries” now manages over 1.2 GWh of energy storage
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