Today, a Tesla Megapack caught on fire during the initial testing of a new utility-scale battery in Victoria. CNBC reports that there were no injuries and disruptions to electricity supply in the area. Bloomberg reported that the fire did not pose a risk of spreading to nearby communities, but that it did activate a toxic smoke alert for residents, who were instructed to stay indoors. It is not known what caused the fire.JUST IN: Firefighters are on the scene at Moorabool near Geelong, to tackle a battery fire. Firefighters are trying to stop the fire spreading to nearby batteries. https://t.co/5zYfOfohG3 #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/HAkFY27JgQ 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) July 30, 2021It was one of the most important in the world, and it was affected by the fire. It is expected to be operational by the end this year. The 300MW battery will be able store enough energy for more than a million Victorian homes for half an hour.This is supposed to prevent blackouts, which have been affecting hundreds of thousands of residents in the area in recent years. Giant batteries are crucial for achieving environmental and renewable energy goals. Victoria's goal is to have half its electricity come from renewable sources by 2030. When the sun isn't shining and the wind doesn't blow, batteries can fill the energy gap.Neoen, a French renewable energy company, is working on the Victorian Big Battery with Tesla and AusNet Services. In 2017, Tesla and Neoen brought another grid-scale lithium-ion battery online. It was the largest battery of its kind in the world. The Verge reached out to Neoen for comment but did not receive a response immediately.
