Tesla wins bid to build world’s largest lithium-ion battery in South Australia

An artist’s impression of the Tesla Powerpack, which will be built in Australia | Tesla

Tesla has just won a big deal in South Australia that comes with big stakes. The Australian state just awarded the electric car firm the bid to install the world’s largest lithium-ion battery that will be used to store wind energy from French company Neoen’s Hornsdale Wind Farm, which is located outside of Jamestown, South Australia. Tesla CEO Elon Musk proclaimed that they will build the 100-megawatt battery within 100 days or else they’ll do it for free. Musk acknowledges the risk that comes with the project, though. He says, “There is certainly some risk, because this will be the largest battery installation in the world by a significant margin. The next biggest battery in the world is 30 megawatts.”

South Australia has been dealing with blackouts since September last year and this project hopes to bring in additional power that the state can use during emergencies. The battery, together with the wind farm, will be working around the clock to make sure this happens. Tesla expects to finish the project by December this year. If they won’t be able to meet its deadlines, Tesla might be on the hook for US$50 million or more in installation costs.

Source: BBC + The Verge

Apple Maps makes it easier for you to get around at the Calgary Stampede

Whether you’re going to Calgary Stampede for the first time or an avid fan of the annual rodeo and festival, you will always need help getting there. Apple is hoping to help you avoid things like steep parking fees and even driving to the event with Apple Maps’s Calgary Transit info. It’ll let you plan your trip, get schedules, and even receive step-by-step directions to catch the CTrain or bus to head to the event. The signs you’ll see in the app are the same as the ones on the street so you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for easily. You can even let Siri guide you from one point to another. The app can even get you up-to-date information about specific transit lines and remind you about its routes and schedules.

Facebook wants to build a village for employees and its local community

Facebook is ready to expand again. And this time it’s going to be a “mixed-use village” right behind its headquarters in Menlo Park. The social media company is calling it Willow Campus and it’ll be a small village with 1,500 apartments, retail and office space, grocery, and pharmacy. "Part of our vision is to create a neighborhood center that provides long-needed community services. We plan to build 125,000 square feet of new retail space, including a grocery store, pharmacy and additional community-facing retail," Facebook said in its announcement.

Click to read more ...

‘Horizon Zero Dawn’ introduces new mode and difficulty level

Guerrilla Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment

A new patch for Horizon Zero Dawn brings with it some new “highly anticipated” features. The first one is the New Game+ Mode. According to Guerrilla Games community manager Jeroen Roding, it lets you “relive the adventures of Aloy without losing your character progression and your collected inventory.” But he notes that: “You won’t be able to progress beyond the level cap of 50, but you can still collect XP during your adventure.” There are also two new trophies added with New Game+. One is the ability to choose your face paint, the other is to alternate Focus designs for Aloy as well as advanced weaponry and armor for her. These come at a price, of course.

When you try New Game+, you’ll be given the option to adjust your difficulty level for the new playthrough. This time there’s a new “Ultra Hard” setting where the machines are smarter and have better senses. Your health regeneration is also limited. If you opt to try Ultra Hard, you’re going to need to stick to it. There is no reducing the game’s difficulty after the fact.

Source: Polygon