Tesla Powerwall - Game Changing Energy Storage
- Emmelena Bryce
- Oct 27, 2021
- 4 min read
The Tesla Powerwall, currently in its second generation, has been a revolutionary product when it comes to energy storage. Not only has Tesla ensured that it looks aesthetic when added to homes, it has given people greater control over their energy use and brought us into a cleaner, quieter future of electricity. As power prices continue to rise consumers are becoming more aware of ways that they can save money on electricity. This has seen a rise in the installation of rooftop solar and use of tools, like the Powerwall, to improve the efficiency of how they operate.
The Tesla Powerwall is essentially a smart battery. It stores energy from the grid or solar so that it can be used as a back-up power source when the grid goes down or to continue powering your home with solar energy at night when the sun isn’t out. The back up power kicks in instantly when the grid goes down with many users simply experiencing a flicker of the lights as the Powerwall takes over.
Previously, we would power our homes in an outage with dirty, loud generators that rely on diesel to operate. This relies on having diesel already on hand to power it as well as listening the motor racket as the tell tale sign that you've still got power to keep the lights on. The Tesla Powerwall changes the game by operating silently and without emissions. When using grid power that is often produced by burning coal or oil, it is helpful for the environment if we are not creating more emissions to keep power going in a black out. Another benefit is that it is much safer than generators. Without exposed wires or hot vents it makes it safe for pets and children to be around without worry.
The life of a Tesla Powerwall is under warranty for 10 years, but there's no reason for them to not last much longer. The casing is made from the same materials as the Tesla vehicles making it extremely durable and weather resistant. With an IP67 rating you can be assured that it is protected from the elements whether it's mounted inside or outside.
The Powerwall has 13.5kw of energy capacity. However, you don’t have to be restricted to just this. Up to 10 Powerwalls can be connected together to create your own power station at home. This means that you can store even more energy to use when and how you like. Smaller solar systems will not likely be suited to multiple Powerwalls, unless you are wanting to store grid power too. This is because they don’t produce much more than what the home is already needing. We usually recommend the Powerwall for solar systems 10kw or higher as they are more likely producing an excess that can be stored for use outside of sunlight hours.
The Tesla App allows for control of the Powerwall and your energy. It allows you to track how much energy is being used by the home, generated from solar and stored in the Powerwalls. The Powerwall is all about having power 24/7 so it notifies you of severe weather to ensure that you have energy stored incase of an outage. The app shows the power flows so that you can visually track where your power is coming from and going to. Furthermore, you can customise the settings to ensure that you get the greatest amount of savings.
The Powerwall will help you cut your power bills whether you are filling it with solar or grid power. Storing solar generated through the day will mean that you can operate with clean energy at night when the solar panels are not producing electricity. Therefore, you are also not having to pay for grid power at night. During summer months this can mean that you essentially have no power bill to pay at all as the solar output is high enough to power your home and fill the Powerwall too. Of course solar output is lower in the winter months so you may choose to prioritise powering the home during the day rather than filling the Powerwall.
If you don’t have solar and are using the grid to fuel the Powerwall you can save money by filling it when the power is cheapest, this is generally at night as it is outside of peak hours. Alternatively, many electricity providers now offer a period of “free power” in which you could prioritise the Powerwall in order to operate on this “free power” during peak hours in order to avoid paying the high grid prices.
Overall there are plenty of reasons why the Tesla Powerwall is the number 1 choice for solar energy storage. With all these features and reliability, it's a winning product. If you are interested in adding a Tesla Powerwall to your home for quiet, clean back-up power or to make the most of your solar system, get in touch with our team today!
ChargeSmart is an authorised Tesla Energy reseller and installer.
Email: sales@chargesmart.co.nz
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