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Has Tesla’s Elon Musk landed in SA?

The State Government is set to announce the results of its tender to provide Australia’s biggest battery storage facility, and there are strong suggestions that Tesla founder Elon Musk is expected in Adelaide for today’s announcement.

Jul 07, 2017, updated Jul 07, 2017
Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

The multi-billionaire entrepreneur’s impending presence in Adelaide has been suggested to InDaily by several sources, with the rumour gaining traction this morning following notification from the State Government that it would be making a significant energy announcement at midday today.

Musk’s relentless work and travel schedule is notoriously secretive, with his days reportedly broken into five-minute slots.

For this reason, no-one can be 100 per cent certain of his presence at planned announcements until he shows his face. This explains the caution being exercised by InDaily’s sources about his potential appearance at today’s news conference.

However, it does seem certain that Tesla will be at least part of the Government’s proposed solution for the state’s electricity problems.

Tesla and Musk’s involvement in South Australia will be a PR boon for the Government which is facing criticism that it is discouraging big business from investing in South Australia through its proposed big bank levy and other costs of operating in the state.

South Australia rocketed onto Musk’s radar in march this year when he promised, in a Twitter exchange with Australian tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, that he could supply and install 100MW of grid-scale battery storage within 100 days or it would be free.

Premier Jay Weatherill swiftly got in touch with Musk, who Tweeted after their conversation that he was “very impressed” by the Government’s commitment to a “smart, quick solution” to South Australia’s energy woes.

Weatherill subsequently made Australia’s “largest” grid-connected battery part of his plan to ensure the security of South Australia’s electricity system.

The Government’s tender attracted a huge field of bidders, with Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis suggesting in April that more than one company might share the work.

Weatherill will announce who will be delivering the battery at Adelaide Oval later this morning.

The Government wants the battery in place by December.

South African-born Musk made his first fortune as cofounder of online payment company PayPal, before founding Tesla and SpaceX.

Tesla made its name with electric cars, and has expanded into renewable energy including batteries and solar roof tiles. SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches rockets and spacecraft, with plans to send humans beyond the moon.

more to come

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