Currently reading: Tesla applies to generate electricity in UK

Documents published by Ofgem reveal American firm has applied for a power generation licence in UK, with suggestions it may move into 'virtual power plant' market

Tesla has submitted an application to become a power generator in the UK, documents from energy regulator Ofgem reveal. 

The application is “for the purpose of giving a supply to any premises or enabling a supply to be so given” in the specified area of “Great Britain, the territorial sea adjacent to Great Britain or in a Renewable Energy Zone”.  

The application was signed off by Tesla’s energy products sales director, Evan Rice. It’s not expressly stated what the American company's intention is, but suggestions are that it could be involved in a large-scale battery storage project such as that which it built in Australia in 2016. 

Other indications are that Tesla is making a move into the energy aggregation market. It currently has an Autobidder platform, allowing automated energy trading by smaller firms making money from distributed batteries and real-time trading. 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk also took to Twitter this weekend to suggest that the company’s stock price is “too high”. Following the tweet, upwards of $13 billion (£10.2bn) was wiped off Tesla's value. 

Musk has also been criticised for his views on California's coronavirus lockdown measures, which he has described as “fascist”. He has also suggested that they pose a “serious risk” to Tesla, with no date for the company's production restart given.

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fadyady 5 May 2020

Tesla leads. The rest follow

Nissan had a chance. They blew it.
AV 4 May 2020

Solar roof

The power will be generated by Tesla solar tiles on your roof. You can either pay for tiles yourself and keep the energy they generate, or let Tesla pay for your roof and take the energy to sell to others.

 

fellwalker 4 May 2020

Your headline says UK, but

Your headline says UK, but application says Great Britain. They are not the same.