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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