Tech giant Elon Musk and the SA Premier Jay Weatherill have spoken about a proposal to solve the state's energy problems in 100 days, Musk confirmed via Twitter on Saturday.
The Tesla co-founder said he was "very impressed" and that the South Australian government is "clearly committed to a smart, quick solution."
@mcannonbrookes Just spoke with @JayWeatherill, Premier of South Australia. Very impressed. Govt is clearly committed to a smart, quick solution.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 11, 2017
@elonmusk @JayWeatherill Wow, that escalated fast. Brilliant. SA led in delivering aggressive renewable targets & now being attacked for it
— Mike Cannon-Brookes (@mcannonbrookes) March 11, 2017
The Greens have thrown their support behind Tesla boss Elon Musk's ambitious offer to solve South Australia's electricity troubles using battery storage.
Musk, the billionaire tech entrepreneur and founder of Tesla, on Friday said energy storage in the form of a battery farm could fix the state's power woes. He doubled down by saying work on the proposal would be completed within 100 days, or would be free.
.@TeslaMotors boss Elon Musk says his company can fix SA's power woes in 100 days, or he will do it for free. #9News pic.twitter.com/IHnOkiofty
— Nine News Adelaide (@9NewsAdel) March 10, 2017
Soon after, Aussie Atlassian co-founder, and fellow billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, appeared to back the novel approach, saying on Twitter that he would "make the $ happen" if Musk could guarantee 100 mega-watts in 100 days.
Elon Musk: I can fix South Australia power network in 100 days or it's free
— Mike Fitzsimon (@MikeFitzAU) March 10, 2017
SA Senator Hanson-Young: Let's talk!https://t.co/kNs6RT47uE
.@TeslaMotors ' @elonmusk halves price of fast-track SA battery. https://t.co/n1fydtqfGe #ausbiz
— Financial Review (@FinancialReview) March 10, 2017
On Saturday, the Greens weighed in on the debate calling Musk's plan a potential "game changer" for South Australia.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young called on the federal government to take charge of South Australia's energy woes by harnessing energy storage.
"To make batteries work the government will have to change the energy market rules -- so the market can't keep being gamed by the big old power companies who've been screwing SA for too long. This is a win for householders because power prices will be forced down. Who doesn't want that?" Hanson-Young said in a statement.
These guys know how to get stuff done! @elonmusk @mcannonbrookes https://t.co/Z2SgBU1hbX
— Sarah Hanson-Young (@sarahinthesen8) March 11, 2017
Can two tweeting billionaires do what Aust's MPs can't? Elon Musk and SA power crisis. #ausbizhttps://t.co/FHw6oGwh7s via @FinancialReview
— Simon Evans (@SimonMEvans) March 10, 2017
"This is the innovation Malcolm Turnbull promised when he declared he would be the innovation Prime Minister. It's time he showed his hand on SA's energy crisis -- because putting it all on black is not a solution."
She labelled Musk's plan "a wager we should double down on".
The blow-up in the debate over how to solve the problems with South Australia's energy network follows a statewide blackout in September and a scheduled blackout during a recent heatwave due to lack of energy supply.
Tesla's batteries could potentially deliver the extra energy the SA energy grid needs because they collect power during the day from solar panels for use at night or when sun power is not directly available.
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