Tesla Energy, partners eye Austin, Texas, as site for first ‘solar neighborhood’: report
Elon Musk says the project will yield insights for developing new products
Elon Musk’s Tesla Energy company and some corporate partners announced Friday that they’re planning the nation’s most sustainable residential neighborhood – and they plan to create it in Austin, Texas.
Tesla Energy’s partners in the project include Brookfield Asset Management and development firm Dacra, according to FOX 7 of Austin.
The plan, dubbed "SunHouse at Easton Park," will be built in phases and feature solar power and other alternative energy sources, the partners explained.
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"Neighborhood solar installations across all housing types will reshape how people live," Musk said, according to FOX 7. "Brookfield and Dacra’s commitment to stay at the vanguard of that evolution is what makes them the right collaborator for Tesla Energy. The feedback we get from the solar and battery products used in this community will impact how we develop and launch new products."
"The feedback we get from the solar and battery products used in this community will impact how we develop and launch new products."
Tesla's Elon Musk is seen in Hong Kong, Jan. 26, 2016. (Reuters)
Home will include Tesla V3 solar roof tiles and Powerall 2 battery storage devices in homes located on land in Brookfield Residential’s Easton Park development, FOX 7 reported.
Energy storage will aid residents in the event of power outages, the report said.
Construction actually began last month, according to the station.
"Our goal is to establish that fully sustainable neighborhoods are not only viable but the best practical and economical choice," said Craig Robins, CEO of Dacra. "Together with Brookfield and Tesla, we are trying to change the world by creating technology-driven, energy-independent communities that make the world a better place."
The corporate partners also said they plan to work transportation and technology ideas into the development, according to FOX 7.
Officials with both the City of Austin and Travis County have expressed commitments to supporting the project, the report added.
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It remained unclear, however, if taxpayers would absorb any infrastructure costs, and it was unclear how much buyers would pay for the homes or when they might first become available.
Tesla has previously announced plans for a 5,000-job "gigafactory" manufacturing plant in Travis County, the report said.