Posted on 05/01/2015 12:33:33 AM PDT by goldstategop
Chief executive Elon Musk announced the firm would build batteries that store solar energy and serve as a back-up system for consumers during blackouts.
The device would allow consumers to get off a power grid or bring energy to remote areas that are not on a grid.
Tesla plans to start shipping the units to installers in the US by this summer.
In a highly anticipated event near Los Angeles, Mr Musk said the move could help change the "entire energy infrastructure of the world".
"Tesla Energy is a critical step in this mission to enable zero emission power generation," the company said in a statement.
The rechargeable lithium-ion battery unit would be built using the same batteries Tesla produces for its electric vehicles, analysts said.
The system is called Powerwall, and Tesla will sell the 7kwh unit for $3,000 (£1,954), while the 10kwh unit will retail for $3,500 to installers.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Tesla is redefining the home power generator market.
It would be great for emergencies. An ideal state would be one where you could charge this battery and use the power during personal peak times.
Yup. Its rechargeable - conventional gas powered generators need fuel to run.
After the initial investment with the Powerwall, it pays for itself by capturing free sunlight and converting that to electricity.
When you have an emergency, it will simply turn on and run your home.
In remote areas, two or three of these could provide required power needs in the absence of electrical grid service.
BKMK
Sounds like one of Heinlein’s Shipstones. ;) I’ll be keeping a close eye on these, to see how they perform.
Want!
the price is quite good
wouldn’t it make more sense if they sell these batteries with solar panels together instead of by itself. Its great having a backup supply, but if grid is down for weeks then you’ll need solar to recharge the battery
Presumably, until we here otherwise, there will probably be a number of options offered to allow maximum sales, including charged through wind, solar or conventional fuels. Perhaps even allowing it to be charged off your house to keep emergencies.
Average US residential power consumption 909 KwH per month.
That’s 30.3 KHh / day. These batteries are 7 KWh.
You get a few hours for $3K. Hell you get a few power outages a year of that duration, during which time you get in your car and go to a bar to watch TV or go to McDs and use their internet. Helluva lot cheaper than $3K for a battery that will need replacing (and btw, that 3K will have more tacked on for installation).
This is crap.
I don’t think thats correct. 30.3KwH sound awfully high. I use maybe .300-.500 KwH
Few power outages last more than a few hours.
For backup purposes, that should be sufficient.
One of these is not going to run your home 24/7.
I can get 15kwh in quality deep-cycle 6v. lead-acid batteries for something like $2800.00...will these Li-ion batteries outlast properly charged/cared for lead-acid batteries?
http://solarhomestead.com/your-first-battery-bank/
Are there any charge controllers with proper setpoints for those lithium-ion batteries?
500 watt-hours / 24 hours = 20.8 watts average load across the day. IOW, I don't believe you.
On the other hand, if it's cloudy for a spell, then you'll need the grid to recharge the battery.
And then there's the question of how your bank account gets recharged (for the cost of the battery plus the solar cells, windmills, etc., plus whatever the grid charges).
It would be neat to cut the grid off altogether. But, at present, that's still way too big a hit on the bank account.
I could buy and install nearly four times the battery (including cables) for that much money with lead-acid batteries that will last eight to ten years (thick plates, great controller, module array sized properly). Battery capacity for PV solar systems is usually measured in amp-hours, by the way—not kilowatt-hours.
Patent baiting...
.5 KWH is one 500 watt quartz light.
I agree. Our peak use is January, bill shows 798 kwh per month, which would be 66 kwh per day. If I’m figuring this right, we’d get a whopping hour of “free” electricity.
January is one of our shortest day months, probably 8 - 9 hours of day light. Half of those days are clouded over for snow.
January is our coldest month with actual temps often minus 30F for a low and 0F for a high.
Like the electric cars this stuff is utter crap for the extreme cold northern tier states.
A propane generator is the way to go with a buried tank.
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