Australia’s Biggest Battery Ablaze for 4 Days as Technology Woes Grow
By Daniel Khmelev
The Victoria Big Battery—due to become the southern hemisphere’s largest battery—burst into flames last week and remained ablaze for almost four days as firefighters struggled to extinguish one of its Tesla battery megapacks.
The battery’s failure has re-ignited concern that the technology may not be feasible or sustainable amid Australia’s transition towards cleaner energy alternatives.
An hour’s drive from the heart of Melbourne, the 300 megawatt (MW) battery plant had one of its Tesla battery arrays catch fire just two days after its project overseer, Neoen, announced the station had formally hooked up to the grid. Completion of the project was formally due by the end of the year.