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Tesla Megapacks power on at Scotland battery energy storage site

Credit: TagEnergy

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A Tesla Megapack-based battery energy storage system (BESS) has gone live in Scotland, in partnership with TagEnergy and Harmony Energy.

As detailed in a press release from TagEnergy on Tuesday, the Jamesfield Megapack project outside of Abernathy, Scotland is now fully operational, offering 49MW of power and 98MWh of energy storage. TagEnergy also says that sections of the project began powering on in November 2023, as the system was progressively brought online.

Credit: TagEnergy

“Battery energy storage systems are vital for unlocking the full potential of renewable energy in the UK,” said Peter Kavanagh, Harmony Energy CEO. “They play a pivotal role in advancing the Net Zero transition through the reduction of Co2 emissions, and are crucial for securing the future stability of the UK’s energy supply and reducing dependence on foreign gas imports.”

The site features 13 of Tesla’s 2-hour duration Megapacks, utilizing the company’s Autobidder AI for optimizing electricity prices with real-time trading. This is also just the latest of the United Kingdom’s BESS projects to go live in the past few years, following those in Chapel Farm in Luton, England, and Hawkers Hill Energy Park in Shaftesbury in Dorset, England.

The release also adds that Harmony Energy now has an operational portfolio of more than 500MW/1GWh, following the launch of the Jamesfield site.

“We love working with trusted, expert partners who share our passion for a renewables-led energy future,” wrote TagEnergy in a post on LinkedIn. “This is our second JV with Harmony (after Chapel Farm.) And we’re proud to partner again with Tesla (batteries and software) and RES (asset manager) at Jamesfield too.”

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Rohan Patel, Tesla Vice President of Public Policy and Business Development, also responded to the news in a post on X:

“I have to admit my skepticism years ago when Elon Musk said that the Tesla Energy business might eventually be bigger than the Tesla vehicle business,” Patel wrote on Tuesday. “As battery costs come down and electricity system operators understand the grid benefits (distribution and transmission), there seems to be no end in sight to the growth trajectory globally.

“Countries and regions with fair market participation rules for storage will end up as the ‘winners’, with more efficient and cheaper electricity grids for all consumers.”

Tesla has continued to ramp up Megapack production at its facility in Lathrop, California, and it’s set to break ground on a new Megafactory in Shanghai, China sometime this year. Both facilities are expected to eventually reach an annual production capacity of about 10,000 Megapacks.

Tesla highlights latest milestone in Megapack energy storage deployment

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What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla is ramping its hiring for Cybercab vehicle manufacturing roles

A check of the company’s Careers website shows 30 open positions tied to the Cybercab project, with 25 focused directly on vehicle manufacturing.

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Credit: Tesla/YouTube

Tesla is accelerating preparations for its upcoming Cybercab by rapidly expanding its hiring efforts in Austin, Texas. 

A check of the company’s Careers website shows 30 open positions tied to the Cybercab project, with 25 focused directly on vehicle manufacturing. The spike in listings suggests that Tesla may be gearing up for a production ramp of its fully autonomous two-seater at Giga Texas.

New Cybercab job listings

Tesla’s Careers page now features several new roles that appear crucial to the Cybercab’s buildout. Among the most recent additions are openings for Engineering Technicians for the Cybercab’s drive units, battery pack, and general assembly, as well as positions for Equipment Technicians for the vehicle’s production lines.

Earlier this month, Tesla only had three openings related to the autonomous two-seater’s manufacturing. Even then, it was already exciting as the Cybercab would be produced using Tesla’s “Unboxed” manufacturing process. This process is designed to make the Cybercab easier and quicker to produce. 

Similar to previous Cybercab-related job listings, all of the openings are currently based in Austin, Texas. This suggests that for now, at least, the production of the Cybercab will really be focused on Giga Texas to start.

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Ultra-fast Cybercab production targets

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has described the Cybercab as the company’s highest-volume vehicle yet, targeting an annual production rate of around 2 million units. He added that the Cybercab line will operate more like a “high-speed consumer electronics” assembly process than a conventional car factory.

“If you’ve seen the design of the Cybercab line, it doesn’t look like a normal car manufacturing line,” Musk said earlier this year. “It looks like a really high-speed consumer electronics line. In fact, the line will move so fast that actually people can’t even get close to it.”

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Memphis to use xAI taxes for neighborhood improvements: “Truly a blessing”

City officials confirmed that the funds will be reinvested in local neighborhoods near xAI’s Colossus supercomputer.

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Credit: xAI/X

The City of Memphis has collected all taxes owed by Elon Musk’s xAI before the payment deadline, creating a $3.2 million special revenue fund to support communities affected by the company’s operations. 

City officials confirmed that the funds will be reinvested in local neighborhoods near xAI’s Colossus supercomputer.

Directing xAI funds toward community projects

Mayor Paul Young’s administration recently outlined how the funds will be allocated. The initiative was focused on improving infrastructure and quality of life in neighborhoods impacted by xAI’s construction and operations. 

Councilwoman Yolanda Cooper-Sutton emphasized that the process will include public input, with surveys already distributed to residents to guide spending priorities, according to ABC24.

“With that ordinance, we are in the near future getting ready to set up the committee because this is the people’s money,” Cooper-Sutton said. “We wanna make sure that it is used for the people.”

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Officials noted that they are planning to present a final proposal to the entire council after reviewing community feedback. Cooper-Sutton added that the program represents a step toward ensuring businesses operating in Memphis treat residents “fairly and with equality.”

“It is truly, truly a blessing. What we are doing here at this body and this council, we wanna make sure that whatever business that comes here, that the people are treated fairly and with equality,” she stated. 

xAI partnership fuels local job opportunities

Beyond tax revenue, xAI’s growing presence is expected to bolster Memphis’ workforce development goals. Earlier this month, the artificial intelligence startup co-hosted a job fair at Crosstown Concourse with the American Job Center to connect residents with new employment pathways.

“We know that jobs are coming. We know that talent is here,” Melody Freemon, executive director of the Greater Memphis Workforce Development Board, stated. “We wanna make sure we’re not just putting people in any ole jobs. We wanna put people on a pathway to self-sustainability. We wanna put people on a pathway to self-sustainability and something they can rely on in the future.”

Freemon also noted that the Greater Memphis Workforce Development Board was able to make a favorable offer to xAI. “We promised that we can provide a pipeline. This is the central hub for connection. This is where job seekers are, so let us take the headache off of your hiring needs. Come here, let us source the people and make sure that we meet the demand,” Freeman stated.

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The Boring Company’s self-driving Teslas impress riders with smooth, hands-free rides

The electric vehicles, which currently shuttle visitors between key destinations on the Strip, could soon extend service all the way to the airport.

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Credit: @alifarhat6_ali/X

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system is making waves underground. Passengers who recently rode in The Boring Company’s Las Vegas Loop described the experience as “way smoother than a human driving,” with no manual input from a driver at all. 

The electric vehicles, which currently shuttle visitors between key destinations on the Strip, could soon extend service all the way to the airport.

Controlled FSD testing

In late August, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill stated that Tesla’s FSD-equipped vehicles have been undergoing testing in the Boring Company tunnels for several months. These tests are conducted under strict supervision and have not involved regular passengers until recently.

Recent comments about the Boring Company’s driverless Teslas were shared on X by @alifarhat6_ali, who was able to try out the service for himself. As per the Tesla enthusiast, FSD drives much smoother than human drivers inside the Boring Company Las Vegas tunnels. The safety monitor also reportedly noted that the service should soon expand to the airport. 

“I rode in the new self driving Tesla in the Las Vegas Loop! It was WAY smoother than a human driving in the Loop. Zero human input. It wasn’t busy so he let us ride back as well. Driver said they soon will be giving rides all the way to the airport. We are in the future,” the X user wrote in a post. 

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Elon Musk hints at fully driverless Teslas

Earlier this month, Elon Musk posted on X that “The Tesla cars operating in The Boring Company tunnels under Las Vegas will be driverless in a month or two.” This suggests that the Boring Company tunnels in Las Vegas may end up being one of the first locations where actual driverless Teslas will be serving regular customers.

In a way, the deployment of fully driverless Teslas could be perfect for the Las Vegas tunnels. The underground environment should be ideal for Tesla’s autonomous software as it offers predictable routes and traffic, minimal external hazards, and stable lighting conditions that benefit sensor performance.

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