So this is only financially viable because of Californian risk aversion after last years gas leak. If you have a reliable natural gas distribution network, like the rest of the world, batteries don't make any financial sense versus gas power plants.
I mean, this entire plant can supply 20 MW and will cost somewhere around $20 million. For that price you can buy two General Electric LM2500 gas turbine generators that can supply 47 MW and will fit in the same space as three 40-ft shipping containers. (These are basically just aircraft engines modified to produce electricity.)
So while this particular sale is of course good for Tesla, I don't see how one can justify this as Tesla "transitioning to a clean energy company". They saw a profitable, but likely one-time, opportunity localised to CA and they took it.
I mean, this entire plant can supply 20 MW and will cost somewhere around $20 million. For that price you can buy two General Electric LM2500 gas turbine generators that can supply 47 MW and will fit in the same space as three 40-ft shipping containers. (These are basically just aircraft engines modified to produce electricity.)
So while this particular sale is of course good for Tesla, I don't see how one can justify this as Tesla "transitioning to a clean energy company". They saw a profitable, but likely one-time, opportunity localised to CA and they took it.