Energy
This Tesla Powerwall owner didn’t realize there was a blackout amid intense heat wave
A Tesla Powerwall 2 owner is thanking his home battery system after it allowed him and his family to stay cool and comfortable despite a widespread blackout in the middle of a heat wave last week in Sydney, Australia.
After power was cut in his area, homeowner Carl Prins received a text message from his Tesla mobile app informing him that his Powerwall 2 battery was in backup mode. As the Sydney resident would later find out, around 45,000 properties in the city’s eastern suburbs were without power at the time, due to a widespread power outage resulting from overgrown weeds near an electrical substation.
Over the course of the roughly hour-long blackout, Prins kept cool using his home’s air conditioners. He also watched TV while taking care of his baby daughter. The homeowner noted in a statement to The Sydney Morning Herald that his system’s transition from grid power to battery power was so seamless, he did not even notice that there was a power outage.
“I didn’t initially realize the power had gone out, but then I got a text notification from the app to say that it was now in backup mode.”
Last Thursday’s power outage hit Sydney at 11:26 a.m, right in the middle of a heatwave. The blackout disrupted council services and left medical facilities running on backup generators, while forcing some shops to close. Houses, even those fitted with rooftop solar panels but without the ability to store the energy, were forced to wait out the blackout. Power was restored to all affected areas by 12:37 p.m., just over an hour after the outage started.
The Sydney homeowner was unaffected by the power outage, as his house was fitted with both solar panels and a Tesla Powerwall 2 battery, which stores excess energy and performs load shifting to maximize energy cost savings. Without this system, Prins noted that he and his family would have had to travel to a shopping center or a library to keep cool.
“We would have had to get in the car and go to Westfield shopping center or the library to stay cool,” he said.
The Tesla Powerwall 2 features a 13.5 kWh lithium-ion battery and retails for around AU$12,000 (around US$8,500) in Australia. Prins’ home battery system was installed last September after five months on a waiting list. The homeowner noted that his Powerwall has resulted in energy savings, with his power bills now around AU$600 (around US$420) per year compared to AU$4,000 (around US$2,800) per year before the battery’s installation.
The use of solar power for residential properties continues to get more prevalent in Australia, with an estimated 2,000,000 homes having rooftop solar systems. Around 20,000 of these homes are estimated to be equipped with battery storage solutions like the Tesla Powerwall 2. The Powerwall 2 battery is also a key component of Tesla’s planned 50,000-strong Virtual Power Plant for South Australia.
Energy
Tesla Powerwall distribution expands in Australia
Inventory is expected to arrive in late February and official sales are expected to start mid-March 2026.
Supply Partners Group has secured a distribution agreement for the Tesla Powerwall in Australia, with inventory expected to arrive in late February and official sales beginning in mid-March 2026.
Under the new agreement, Supply Partners will distribute Tesla Powerwall units and related accessories across its national footprint, as noted in an ecogeneration report. The company said the addition strengthens its position as a distributor focused on premium, established brands.
“We are proud to officially welcome Tesla Powerwall into the Supply Partners portfolio,” Lliam Ricketts, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at Supply Partners Group, stated.
“Tesla sets a high bar, and we’ve worked hard to earn the opportunity to represent a brand that customers actively ask for. This partnership reflects the strength of our logistics, technical services and customer experience, and it’s a win for installers who want premium options they can trust.”
Supply Partners noted that initial Tesla Powerwall stock will be warehoused locally before full commercial rollout in March. The distributor stated that the timing aligns with renewed growth momentum for the Powerwall, supported by competitive installer pricing, consumer rebates, and continued product and software updates.
“Powerwall is already a category-defining product, and what’s ahead makes it even more compelling,” Ricketts stated. “As pricing sharpens and capability expands, we see a clear runway for installers to confidently spec Powerwall for premium residential installs, backed by Supply Partners’ national distribution footprint and service model.”
Supply Partners noted that a joint go-to-market launch is planned, including Tesla-led training for its sales and technical teams to support installers during the home battery system’s domestic rollout.
Energy
Tesla Megapack Megafactory in Texas advances with major property sale
Stream Realty Partners announced the sale of Buildings 9 and 10 at the Empire West industrial park, which total 1,655,523 square feet.
Tesla’s planned Megapack factory in Brookshire, Texas has taken a significant step forward, as two massive industrial buildings fully leased to the company were sold to an institutional investor.
In a press release, Stream Realty Partners announced the sale of Buildings 9 and 10 at the Empire West industrial park, which total 1,655,523 square feet. The properties are 100% leased to Tesla under a long-term agreement and were acquired by BGO on behalf of an institutional investor.
The two facilities, located at 100 Empire Boulevard in Brookshire, Texas, will serve as Tesla’s new Megafactory dedicated to manufacturing Megapack battery systems.
According to local filings previously reported, Tesla plans to invest nearly $200 million into the site. The investment includes approximately $44 million in facility upgrades such as electrical, utility, and HVAC improvements, along with roughly $150 million in manufacturing equipment.
Building 9, spanning roughly 1 million square feet, will function as the primary manufacturing floor where Megapacks are assembled. Building 10, covering approximately 600,000 square feet, will be dedicated to warehousing and logistics operations, supporting storage and distribution of completed battery systems.
Waller County Commissioners have approved a 10-year tax abatement agreement with Tesla, offering up to a 60% property-tax reduction if the company meets hiring and investment targets. Tesla has committed to employing at least 375 people by the end of 2026, increasing to 1,500 by the end of 2028, as noted in an Austin County News Online report.
The Brookshire Megafactory will complement Tesla’s Lathrop Megafactory in California and expand U.S. production capacity for the utility-scale energy storage unit. Megapacks are designed to support grid stabilization and renewable-energy integration, a segment that has become one of Tesla’s fastest-growing businesses.
Energy
Tesla meets Giga New York’s Buffalo job target amid political pressures
Giga New York reported more than 3,460 statewide jobs at the end of 2025, meeting the benchmark tied to its dollar-a-year lease.
Tesla has surpassed its job commitments at Giga New York in Buffalo, easing pressure from lawmakers who threatened the company with fines, subsidy clawbacks, and dealership license revocations last year.
The company reported more than 3,460 statewide jobs at the end of 2025, meeting the benchmark tied to its dollar-a-year lease at the state-built facility.
As per an employment report reviewed by local media, Tesla employed 2,399 full-time workers at Gigafactory New York and 1,060 additional employees across the state at the end of 2025. Part-time roles pushed the total headcount of Tesla’s New York staff above the 3,460-job target.
The gains stemmed in part from a new Long Island service center, a Buffalo warehouse, and additional showrooms in White Plains and Staten Island. Tesla also said it has invested $350 million in supercomputing infrastructure at the site and has begun manufacturing solar panels.
Empire State Development CEO Hope Knight said the agency was “very happy” with Giga New York’s progress, as noted in a WXXI report. The current lease runs through 2029, and negotiations over updated terms have included potential adjustments to job requirements and future rent payments.
Some lawmakers remain skeptical, however. Assemblymember Pat Burke questioned whether the reported job figures have been fully verified. State Sen. Patricia Fahy has also continued to sponsor legislation that would revoke Tesla’s company-owned dealership licenses in New York. John Kaehny of Reinvent Albany has argued that the project has not delivered the manufacturing impact originally promised as well.
Knight, for her part, maintained that Empire State Development has been making the best of a difficult situation.
“(Empire State Development) has tried to make the best of a very difficult situation. There hasn’t been another use that has come forward that would replace this one, and so to the extent that we’re in this place, the fact that 2,000 families at (Giga New York) are being supported through the activity of this employer. It’s the best that we can have happen,” the CEO noted.
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