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Tesla’s South Australia battery is ‘Kim Kardashian’ of energy, says minister

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Tesla’s massive South Australia battery installation recently received some harsh words from LNP senator and Minister for Resources Matt Canavan, who likened the massive Powerpack system to reality TV star Kim Kardashian. According to Canavan, Tesla’s battery is not very useful at all, and that it is simply “famous for being famous.”

The Australian minister’s statements about the Tesla Powerpack installation in South Australia were spoken at the recently-held CERAWeek 2018 conference, an international gathering about the future of the energy industry, which was held in Houston, TX. During the event, Canavan optimistically talked about investments in Australia’s coal, gas, and other resource-driven industries.

As noted in a report from Renew Economy, however, the resource minister added a little extra to his talk, dismissing the success of Tesla’s big battery installation in South Australia. The Australia-based publication was able to get a transcript of Canavan’s comments about Tesla’s South Australia Powerpack installation in the CERAWeek 2018 conference. According to the resource minister, the big battery “really doesn’t deliver very much.”

“It’s the world’s biggest battery, I’m told. I think it can supply power for about five percent of the state that it’s in – South Australia, it’s a relatively small state – for about an hour.

“It’s not really a solution for the stability problems of South Australia… You’ll excuse me for a bit of rhetorical flourish – I’m a politician. I sometimes think this big battery is the Kim Kardashian of the energy world – it’s famous for being famous. It really doesn’t deliver very much.”

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The resource minister’s comparison of Tesla’s big battery to the reality TV star reveals a dismissive attitude towards the Elon Musk-led firm’s initiatives in Australia, especially since Kim Kardashian is one of the entertainment industry’s most polarizing figures. Breaking into mainstream popularity by the viral spread of a leaked home video, Kardashian is usually bashed by her critics for becoming “famous for being famous.”

Canavan’s comments have drawn a significant amount of criticism from his followers on Twitter and in the online forum community, many of whom believe that Tesla’s Powerpack system is actually helping South Australia’s energy grid. The Tesla Powerpack system, after all, has already achieved several milestones since it was powered on in November 2017.

Since coming online, the SA Powerpack system, which gets its energy from the Hornsdale wind farm near Jamestown, has provided support for the region’s beleaguered grid. In December alone, the big battery installation provided backup energy to the region hundreds of times. It even supplied emergency power to one of Australia’s biggest coal-fired stations after the facility experienced an unexpected power loss on December 14.

Musk Australia

Tesla’s 100 MW/129 MWh Powerpack system dubbed as the ‘World’s largest battery’ in Jamestown, Australia

Recent findings from Australia Institute’s latest national energy emissions audit also show that Tesla’s Powerpack battery in South Australia is working to serve the peak energy demand of the region on a daily basis. The Institute further noted that emissions from the National Electricity Market (NEM) continued to decline during January, hitting their lowest levels since 2004.

As stated in a report from The Guardian, Hugh Saddler, an expert in the energy industry, recently examined the charging and discharging patterns of the Powerpack installation. According to the energy expert, the South Australia Powerpack followed a consistent pattern of charging overnight when wind power is abundant, and discharging into the energy grid during the day when market prices and demand are at their highest levels. Only 30% of the big battery’s 100MW capacity is devoted to this charge and discharge cycle, however, as the remaining capacity of the Hornsdale Power Reserve installation is set aside for the task of keeping the energy grid’s frequency at a steady 50 Hz and 240 volts.

Comprised of approximately 640 Powerpack units, the 100 MW/129MWh system currently stands as the world’s largest lithium-ion battery installation. The success of the South Australia Powerpack has been so notable, Victoria has also expressed its desire to have a similar battery system installed. A residential virtual power plant, comprised of 50,000 homes fitted with solar panels and Tesla’s Powerwall home units, is also being planned.

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Unlike Australia’s resource minister Matt Canavan, State premier Jay Weatherill has expressed his full support of the country’s clean energy initiatives, stating that he is looking forward to the time when the planned 250 MW/650 MWh virtual power plan would come online.

“My government has already delivered the world’s biggest battery, and now we will deliver the world’s largest virtual power plant. We will use people’s homes as a way to generate energy for the South Australian grid, with participating households benefiting with significant savings in their energy bills. Our energy plan means that we are leading the world in renewable energy and now we are making it easier for more homes to become self-sufficient,” the state premier said. 

[This article is updated to show additional information on the daily performance of the South Australia Tesla Powerpack installation.]

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla Energy is the world’s top global battery storage system provider again

Tesla Energy captured 15% of the battery storage segment’s global market share in 2024.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Energy held its top position in the global battery energy storage system (BESS) integrator market for the second consecutive year, capturing 15% of global market share in 2024, as per Wood Mackenzie’s latest rankings.

Tesla Energy’s lead, however, is shrinking, as Chinese competitors like Sungrow are steadily increasing their global footprint, particularly in European markets.

Tesla Energy dominates in North America, but its lead is narrowing globally

Tesla Energy retained its leadership in the North American market with a commanding 39% share in 2024. Sungrow, though still ranked second in the region, saw its share drop from 17% to 10%. Powin took third place, even if the company itself filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, as noted in a Solar Power World report. 

On the global stage, Tesla Energy’s lead over Sungrow shrank from four points in 2023 to just one in 2024, indicating intensifying competition. Chinese firm CRRC came in third worldwide with an 8% share.

Wood Mackenzie ranked vendors based on MWh shipments with recognized revenue in 2024. According to analyst Kevin Shang, “Competition among established BESS integrators remains incredibly intense. Seven of the top 10 vendors last year struggled to expand their market share, remaining either unchanged or declining.”

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Chinese integrators surge in Europe, falter in U.S.

China’s influence on the BESS market continues to grow, with seven of the global top 10 BESS integrators now headquartered in the country. Chinese companies saw a 67% year-over-year increase in European market share, and four of the top 10 BESS vendors in Europe are now based in China. In contrast, Chinese companies’ market share in North America dropped more than 30%, from 23% to 16% amid Tesla Energy’s momentum and the Trump administration’s policies.

Wood Mackenzie noted that success in the global BESS space will hinge on companies’ ability to adapt to divergent regulations and geopolitical headwinds. “The global BESS integrator landscape is becoming increasingly complex, with regional trade policies and geopolitical tensions reshaping competitive dynamics,” Shang noted, pointing to Tesla’s maintained lead and the rapid ascent of Chinese rivals as signs of a shifting industry balance.

“While Tesla maintains its global leadership, the rapid rise of Chinese integrators in Europe and their dominance in emerging markets like the Middle East signals a fundamental shift in the industry. Success will increasingly depend on companies’ ability to navigate diverse regulatory environments, adapt to local market requirements, and maintain competitive cost structures across multiple regions,” the analyst added.

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Tesla inks multi-billion-dollar deal with LG Energy Solution to avoid tariff pressure

Tesla has reportedly secured a sizable partnership with LGES for LFP cells, and there’s an extra positive out of it.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has reportedly inked a multi-billion-dollar deal with LG Energy Solution in an effort to avoid tariff pressure and domesticate more of its supply chain.

Reuters is reporting that Tesla and LGES, a South Korean battery supplier of the automaker, signed a $4.3 billion deal for energy storage system batteries. The cells are going to be manufactured by LGES at its U.S. factory located in Michigan, the report indicates. The batteries will be the lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, chemistry.

Tesla delivers 384,000 vehicles in Q2 2025, deploys 9.6 GWh in energy storage

It is a move Tesla is making to avoid buying cells and parts from overseas as the Trump White House continues to use tariffs to prioritize domestic manufacturing.

LGES announced earlier today that it had signed a $4.3 billion contract to supply LFP cells over three years to a company, but it did not identify the customer, nor did the company state whether the batteries would be used in automotive or energy storage applications.

The deal is advantageous for both companies. Tesla is going to alleviate its reliance on battery cells that are built out of the country, so it’s going to be able to take some financial pressure off itself.

For LGES, the company has reported that it has experienced slowed demand for its cells in terms of automotive applications. It planned to offset this demand lag with more projects involving the cells in energy storage projects. This has been helped by the need for these systems at data centers used for AI.

During the Q1 Earnings Call, Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja confirmed that the company’s energy division had been impacted by the need to source cells from China-based suppliers. He went on to say that the company would work on “securing additional supply chain from non-China-based suppliers.”

It seems as if Tesla has managed to secure some of this needed domestic supply chain.

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Energy

Tesla Shanghai Megafactory produces 1,000th Megapack for export to Europe

The Shanghai Megafactory was able to hit this milestone less than six months after it started producing the Megapack. 

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

Tesla Energy has announced a fresh milestone for its newest Megapack factory. As per the electric vehicle maker, the Shanghai Megafactory has successfully produced its 1,000th Megapack battery. 

The facility was able to hit this milestone less than six months after it started producing the grid-scale battery system. 

New Tesla Megapack Milestone

As per Tesla Asia in a post on its official accounts on social media platform X, the 1,000th Megapack unit that was produced at the Shanghai Megafactory would be exported to Europe. As noted in a CNEV Post report, Tesla’s energy products are currently deployed in over 65 countries and regions globally. This allows Tesla Energy to compete in energy markets that are both emerging and mature.

To commemorate the 1,000th Megapack produced at the Shanghai Megafactory, the Tesla China team posted with the grid-scale battery with celebratory balloons that spelled “Megapack 1000.” The milestone was celebrated by Tesla enthusiasts on social media, especially since the Shanghai Megafactory only started its operations earlier this year.

Quick Megafactory Ramp

The Shanghai Megafactory, similar to Tesla’s other key facilities in China, was constructed quickly. The facility started its construction on May 23, 2024, and it was hailed as Tesla’s first entry storage project outside the United States. Less than a year later, on February 11, 2025, the Shanghai Megafactory officially started producing Megapack batteries. And by March 21, 2025, Tesla China noted that it had shipped the first batch of Megapack batteries from the Shanghai plant to foreign markets.

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While the Shanghai Megafactory is still not at the same level of output as Tesla’s Lathrop Megafactory, which produces about 10,000 Megapacks per year, its ramp seems to be quite steady and quick. It would then not be surprising if Tesla China announces the Shanghai Megafactory’s 2,000th Megapack milestone in the coming months.

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