Tesla batteries helping power up hurricane hit Puerto Rico

Tesla has been sending hundreds of Powerwall batteries to Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria hit on September 20.

About 97% of the US territory was left without power, hampering access to drinkable water, perishable food, and air conditioning, Futurism reports.

Hospitals are struggling to keep generators running with diesel supplies falling.

Tesla’s batteries can be paired with solar panels to store electricity, with the grid possibly needing six months to be fully repaired.

Several power banks have already arrived, and more are on the way.

Restoring power in Puerto Rico is expected to be difficult and expensive, particularly in mountainous terrain.

The latest Powerwall has a 13.5kWh capacity. They’re mainly used for charging electric vehicles, but can be used in emergencies. South Australia is getting a Powerwall array, for instance, to avoid any more state-wide blackouts, and Logan City in Brisbane has a Powerwall/solar system to disinfect water supply.

Tesla recently acquired SolarCity to produce photovoltaic cells for use with the Powerwall.