In 2015, Tesla Motors turned its attention to the home battery storage market, announcing its home battery product the Tesla Powerwall.
Tesla Motors is known for its state-of-the-art electric vehicles and ability to reimagine existing technologies. When combined with the Tesla Solar Roof, the Powerwall is a potential cornerstone of the company’s sustainable energy vision for the world of the future.
The Tesla Powerwall 2.0 is one of the most advanced home energy storage systems in the world, and it all begins with the batteries.
Features and benefits
At its core, the Powerwall 2.0 is a DC battery system with a working capacity of 13.5 kilowatt-hours that is extracted at a continuous rate of 5kW or a peak of 7kW. The majority of homes run on AC power, so Tesla has incorporated an inverter on top of the battery pack which turns the stored DC power into the AC power that the home’s gadgets and appliances can use.
When it comes to charging, the inverter can turn the AC power back into DC for storage in the battery itself, with an efficiency that means 90% of the power sent into the Powerwall is retained during the conversion. The key benefits of the Powerwall 2.0 are as follows:
- Reduce your electricity bills and avoid peak energy usage rates.
- As net metering laws are changed, you can save extra power for the home.
- You can enjoy solar energy in the night as well as the day.
- It is ideal for indoor or outdoor use.
- You can keep your essential appliances running even when there is a power outage.
Using the Powerwall 2.0 with solar panels
Solar panels installed on your rooftop can absorb photons from sunlight to create DC electricity. The Powerwall inverter can convert this into usable AC electricity, which can then be used to power your house, feedback into the grid or store in your Powerwall battery. You can manage which of these happens using a cloud-based app, which also gives you the ability to charge your Powerwall 2.0 from the grid.
This means you don’t have to have solar panels to use the Powerwall 2 – you can charge it overnight when energy costs are lower, then use it to power your appliances during the peak times and save on energy bills.
The Powerwall offers one of the best energy storage ratios available.
Energy storage is an essential component of a sustainable, low carbon future. It will help take the strain off the grid and save you money on your energy bills in the process.
It’s a win-win, and the Powerwall 2.0 is another example of Tesla and Elon Musk being committed to a greener future for society.