Tesla's Elon Musk proposes plan to end SA’s energy problem

Elon Musk of Tesla Incorporated believes his company can help put an end to South Australia’s energy woes. He proposes a plan to save the state from blackouts that affect both households and businesses. Musk guarantees that his proposed plan can be completed within 100 days, or it would be free.

ABC reports that the billionaire tech entrepreneur said Tesla’s energy-storage technology can solve the state's electricity problems. He suggests the utilisation of a Tesla battery farm to deliver the extra energy that SA needs. Tesla's batteries collect power from solar panels during the day to be used at night when sun power is not directly available.

Musk had already spoken with Australia’s government officials and lawmakers regarding his plan to solve South Australia's power woes. He and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also got the chance to discuss the proposal over the phone.

A statement from Turnbull’s office confirmed on Sunday that the prime minister had "in-depth" discussions with Musk about the plan. "The pair had an in-depth discussion on the value of storage and the future of the electricity system," the statement reads.

Tesla's chief executive also had a discussion with South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill. "Just spoke with Jay Weatherill, Premier of South Australia. Very impressed. Govt is clearly committed to a smart, quick solution,” Musk wrote on Twitter.

Weatherill has also updated his social media followers regarding the said discussion. "Today I had a positive discussion with Elon Musk regarding his battery proposal," he tweeted.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall supported Musk’s proposal and urged Weatherill to consider it. Tony Wood, the energy program director for public think tank Grattan Institute, said he thinks whether or not the plan become a credible solution to a real problem remains to be seen.

In September, South Australia had to deal with a statewide blackout in which thousands of properties across the state remain without power. There was also a scheduled blackout amid a recent heatwave due to lack of energy supply.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young urged the federal government to take care of SA’s energy problems. In a statement shared by Huffington Post, Hanson-Young said the government need to modify the energy market rules in order to make batteries work. “This is a win for householders because power prices will be forced down. Who doesn't want that?" the senator exclaimed. The Greens seems to approve Musk's plan, calling it a potential "game changer" for South Australia.