Tesla to set up smart power grid in Canada in pact with Nova Scotia Power

Tesla's smart power grids are headed to Canada. It has signed an agreement with Nova Scotia Power for a pilot programme at Elmsdale, Nova Scotia, which will deploy a combination of Tesla's Powerwall 2 home batteries and utility-grade Powerpack batteries to bolster the reliability of the region's wind power production, according to Engadget.

The Elmsdale Intelligent Feeder project will make use of excess power generated by wind turbines to fill in the gaps of the area's electrical grid. Whenever one of the area's wind turbines generates excess power, it will be sent to one of Tesla's Powerpacks from where the power will be distributed to local homes whenever there is an outage or one of the wind turbines fails to produce enough energy.

The test programme is partly supported by the Canadian government, and is expected to go live before the end of February and run through 2019. Whatever the outcome of the experiment, the batteries would remain. The decision on the extension of the programme to other parts of the country will be taken by Nova Scotia Power. The company is likely to judge the programme on the basis of how well it serves the interest of consumers and itself.

Commentators point out that the experiment will serve a modest 300 homes, and only 10 customers have Powerwall 2 batteries. They say, this shows the increasing global interest in storage batteries like Tesla's as a means of stabilising green power. And the Canadian pilot in particular could show the future of electricity for rural communities. They may be less dependent on distant power grids, and will not have to worry quite so much about blackouts.