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Drove by the new Wawa (big gas station/convenience/sandwich shop stores around here) and they were installing a Tesla Powerpack battery system. I'm guessing that's in lieu of a generator as Florida, since the 2006, has required all gas stations over a certain size to have emergency backup power, and I don't see a generator anywhere.

Will have to get some pix as it progresses.

Not sure if they're also installing solar panels. So far not seeing any infrastructure for that, just the battery farm.

It may be a method to quick charge stuff. The gas station can only have so much power delivered to it from the grid. If they can store it in the batteries then use it to discharge into cars then they don't have to have as much inrush from the grid? Or like you said it could just be part of a huge UPS. I know some utilities have similar devices that can keep a block of houses running for 3 days. It actually was designed as a load balance system. During the day the UPS would keep houses from browning out during the day and at night when demand was low the batteries could be charged back up and keep the grid loaded.

I was told a story that one time the power went out and a block of houses that had this system in place only complained 3 days later when the UPS system finally died. They were all told that the power went out 3 days ago and would be back in half a day.

I think it's a UPS unless they also end up installing solar. I know Wawa is installing solar on stations in some other states.

No Tesla chargers at our station, and no room to add them that I can see. This station was squeezed into a pretty tight lot.

we have a newer wawa by me (2 years old or less ) not seen a charging station that I have notice anyway . no solar panels or generator and its the largest station in my area of any gas station.

Turns out it IS for a set of chargers. They installed the battery banks first, and now the chargers are in: 8 stations.

Big deal around here. There's a fair number of Teslas around, but the closest supercharger station until now is the Ocala Mall which is a good 45 minute drive, and no one from around here goes there much.

Very cool.