Tesla Batteries For Homes
Yesterday, it was announced that Tesla will be releasing a Consumer Battery Pack for Homes and Businesses. The announcement is exciting news for Tesla enthusiasts. A home battery pack can easily eliminate the concern for brown outs and utility outages during storms.
But is this concept new? No, HEsolar has been installing solar integrated battery backup systems for years. In fact, solar does not even need to be integrated in the system to work. The system we install is basically a Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS).
The real kicker here is the battery technology. New batteries have been hitting the market over the past few years, but most Installers are cautious to use them. System compatibility and battery chemistry can be a real nightmare when it comes time to commission the system. This is why Tesla's announcement is exciting. As of right now, the solar Industry mainly uses conventional lead acid batteries for their simplicity and dependability. That being said, Tesla's batteries are one of the only large capacity Lithium Ion batteries with a proven track record, but they are currently only used with vehicles.
Lead acid batteries are limited in function and can only be discharged to about 50% without harming the battery. Lithium Ion is an exciting technology because the batteries can be fully discharge without harming the batteries. This means that you can get the same power out of 200 Ah Li-Ion battery as you would with a 400 Ah Lead acid battery. Another benefit is the cycle life of Lithium Ion. Lead acid batteries lose cycle life from depth of discharge, temperature conditions, and charge rates. Lithium Ion batteries are more robust and can provide a greater prediction on batter life cycles.
The down side? Lithium Ion batteries (not Tesla specifically) have had their issues with thermal run away, a scary concept that could potentially burn down a home. Tesla seems to have a clean record and their integrated inverter/charger should have a battery management system (bms) to prevent any issues.
The main question that we will all eventually be asking is "how much?". The price will make or break the backup market. Additional costs will be rewiring of circuits to create a critical load panel. We can only hope that this product will be available to all Installers and not exclusive to SolarCity. With this announcement and other battery technologies emerging, this is, without a doubt, a fun Industry to be in.
More can be read on solar integrated battery backup systems for homes and businesses at http://www.hesolarllc.com/solar-panel-installation/solar-system-types/backup-power/