# Solar-Powered Islands Tesla is Converting the Entire Island of Ta'u in American Samoa to Solar By Joey Haar | Published 2016-11-22 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tesla References: [theverge](http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/22/13712750/tesla-microgrid-tau-samoa) & [blog.solarcity](http://blog.solarcity.com/island-in-the-sun/) [Tesla](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/charge-on-solar) has recently acquired SolarCity, a solar panel producer and solar energy company. Though much of the talk surrounding that acquisition has been around Tesla's plan to create functional and regularly used solar roofs, the two companies have quietly undertaken a massive public works project as a show of their efficacy. They have built an infrastructure system to power an entire island. Ta'u is a small island in the archipelago of American Samoa. The island previously derived all of its power from diesel generators. With the new Tesla and SolarCity system, the island has transferred virtually all of its energy to that green and renewable alternative. Ta'u's new microgrid consists of 5,328 [solar panels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solar-electric-pavilion) and [60 Tesla Powerpacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/home-energy-storage-system). The system takes just seven hours to charge fully and can power the islands for three full days without any sun. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.8/10 - Popularity: 5% | Activity: 10% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Renewable Energy Infrastructure:** The creation of a solar-powered microgrid on Ta'u island showcases the potential for building and implementing renewable energy infrastructure on a larger scale. - **Energy Independence:** The successful transition of Ta'u island to solar power demonstrates the opportunity for achieving energy independence through renewable energy solutions. - **Sustainable Microgrids:** The development of sustainable microgrids using solar panels and energy storage systems presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for remote communities and islands. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Renewable Energy:** The renewable energy industry can benefit from the example of Ta'u island to showcase the viability and potential of solar energy in powering entire communities. - **Energy Storage:** The energy storage industry can capitalize on the success of the solar-powered microgrid on Ta'u island by developing more efficient and cost-effective energy storage solutions for remote areas. - **Infrastructure Development:** From planning to implementation, the infrastructure development industry can explore opportunities in creating sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure systems for islands and remote locations. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Excess Solar Energy Transitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/charge-on-solar.md) - [Solar-Powered Electric Boats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solarpowered-electric-boat.md) - [Gigawatt Solar Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gigawatt-solar-projects.md) - [Tree-Inspired Solar Panel Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solarbotanic-energy-tree.md) - [Consolidated Photovoltaic Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/photovoltaic-systems.md) - [Solar-Powered Sleek Bikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-solaris.md) - [Durable Home Battery Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tesla-powerwall-3.md) - [Community-Owned Solar Microgrids](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/communityowned-solar-microgrids.md) - [User-Friendly Solar Panels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lunar-energy.md)