In May, Tesla released details of its Autobidder platform, which can aggregate and optimise assets down to the behind-the-meter domestic scale for wholesale trading and grid services. The platform has already been utilised at a site in South Australia and is now available for generators and suppliers in GB. Tesla also applied for a generation licence in May, and has been expanding its domestic supplier partnerships to sell its home battery, solar, and electric vehicle (EV) products bundled with power supply. The company is now well positioned to increase its presence in the GB energy markets and further develop its household offer, either through partnerships or independently.
Elon Musk said at the end of 2019 that Tesla’s solar and energy business will grow faster than its EV business, and potentially eventually reach the same size. In GB, Tesla has developed its energy division through supplier partnerships, with Tonik Energy becoming the first supplier to sell the Powerwall in June 2019. More recently, Tesla introduced an Energy Plan for Octopus Energy customers, offering a fully integrated energy service, with its EV and battery propositions supported by the ongoing provision of power and flexibility services. With its application to the regulator for a generation licence, Tesla is now exploring upstream. Its Autobidder platform will increase its capabilities here, through the aggregation of generation and large-scale storage, and could also augment the technology and services bundles it offers in partnership with supplies. If Tesla builds on this with an application for a supply licence, the company will span the GB value chain as a fully integrated energy technology and flexibility provider.
