Tesla to supply up to 8 MWh of Powerpacks for SpaceX’s Starbase solar farm

Tesla is going to supply up to 8 MWh of Powerpacks for SpaceX to expand its solar farm at Starbase in Boca Chica. It’s the latest of many collaborations between Tesla and SpaceX.

SpaceX has a solar farm at its Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. It consists of 1 MW of solar power and 3.87 MWh of energy storage capacity.

New documents uncovered by CNBC show that SpaceX plans to expand the solar facility:

“The expansion underway, with construction expected to take place over two years in all, would add 750 kilowatts of power for a total of 1.6 MWs of energy, and an additional battery system enabling up to 8 MW-hours of storage, the documents said.”

The documents show that the new energy storage capacity is going to consist of Tesla Powerpacks. It’s the latest of many collaborations between Musk’s two biggest companies, Tesla and SpaceX.

Due to the former being a public company and Musk being involved in both, Tesla has to report transactions between the companies.

Tesla started providing Powerpacks for SpaceX at its Texas facilities back in 2018.

Last year, SpaceX bought $2.8 million worth of components from Tesla.

Here’s a list of some of the transactions between Tesla and SpaceX for 2021 and the first quarter of 2022:

• SpaceX has purchased and may purchase in the future certain vehicle components from Tesla, including with modifications for non-vehicle applications. The prices for such components and any associated labor and support, which were negotiated in good faith and were consistent with prices offered to other third parties to whom any such components have been sold, were $2.8 million in the aggregate in 2021 and $0.2 million in the aggregate in 2022 through March.
• SpaceX purchased solar modules from Tesla for an aggregate $0.04 million in 2021. The prices were negotiated in good faith.
• SpaceX purchased refurbished power supplies and related services from Tesla for an aggregate $0.1 million in 2021. The prices were negotiated in good faith.

SpaceX also licenses software from Tesla and the automaker has provided some engineering work for the launch provider.