Solar energy is becoming popular day by day. More people are investing in solar energy since it’s a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Even though solar energy is available in abundance, it’s only available for half of the day. Since solar energy is only available when the sun is available, it becomes a problem when the sun sets or during rainy days. Generally, solar energy are stored in batteries for such situations. And that’s where the Tesla Powerwall comes in.
The Tesla Powerwall is a battery that helps store solar energy by detecting your usage. It keeps any surplus you have, which can be used to power your household appliances. In this article, we’re going to discuss the technicalities of the Tesla Powerwall. Let’s begin!
The Tesla Powerwall is a unique take on conventional solar panel batteries. It detects any surplus energy production and stores it until there is no production. When the production is halted due at night, or due to weather, the Powerwall acts as the source of energy.
What is the Tesla Powerwall comprised of:
According to the Tesla Powerwall manual, the Powerwall contains multiple Lithium-ion batteries in it. Each of the batteries contains a number of cells which store energy.
The cells have three parts, the positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte of Lithium Cobalt Oxide or Lithium Iron Phosphate. The ions flow from the positive to negative electrodes producing electricity until the battery runs out of charge. In this way, they produce electricity.
Furthermore, the entire system consists of the powerwall battery, inverter, connecting wires and a liquid cooling system. The cooling system keeps the battery at an optimum temperature during peak hours to prevent upkeep or system overloading.
How Does the Tesla Powerwall Work:
The powerwall can work both with or without the solar system. The working procedure is described below:
With Solar Panels:
When the Powerwall is connected to a grid-solar panel, it gathers electricity from the sun. Generally, during day time, when our solar panels are producing more energy than required, the power is lost due to lack of storage.
However, the Powerwall detects whenever there is a surplus and recharges itself. This energy can be used when solar energy isn’t available at night or when there is a power outage.
Furthermore, if you’re connected to a solar-grid, you can sell the surplus after meeting your needs. Thus having a steady stream of profit as well.
Without Solar Panels:
You can use the Tesla Powerwall without solar panels as well. If you live somewhere where power outages are a common problem, the Powerwall is exactly what you’re looking for.
The cost of electricity varies based on the time of day. The charges are lower during off-peak hours when compared to peak hours. The Powerwall stores during the off-peak hours which you can use during the peak hours to save your electric bills.
Furthermore, Powerwall acts as a storage system of electricity when there is no connection available. Keeping your house running during outages.
If you have a generator at home, Powerwall can be used as a backup for the generator as well. The Powerwall will detect the outage immediately and start providing electricity. Once it runs out of power, the generator will get to work, so that you don’t have to stay out of power even for a minute.
Conversion of Electricity in the Tesla Powerwall:
Generally, solar panels require an additional inverter to convert the produced electricity to AC power to run. However, the Tesla Powerwall has a built-in inverter that does the work inside the Powerwall.
Due to the built-in inverter, current flows swiftly from the solar panels to your home. Also, the inverter is strong enough to support the load of a standard household.
Price and Installation of a Tesla Powerwall 2 Based System:
If you have a solar energy system already running, your installation costs won’t be very high. For a complete system with the Tesla Powerwall 2, relevant appliances and installation, you’ll have to pay around 14,000AUD.
The Tesla Powerwall 2 costs 10,000AUD per unit for the battery itself. You’d need supporting appliances like connection wires, circuit breakers, etc. worth around 1700AUD and the installation cost will be within 1150AUD to 2900AUD based on your installer and location.
However, your costs will vary if you need more than one unit or go for older versions of the Powerwall.
However, to make matters more manageable for you, you’re eligible for the Small Scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES). The SRES will provide subsidies and grants to reduce your final cost.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is powerwall compatible existing types of solar panels?
- Yes, the Tesla Powerwall is compatible with most popular Solar Panel companies. However, we recommend that you talk to your contractor before getting your solar panel for confirmation.
How do I control the Tesla Powerwall?
- The Tesla Powerwall requires internet to run. The Tesla app can be used to manage everything about the Powerwall. So, the Powerwall needs to be connected to the internet through Wi-Fi or cellular connection to receive constant updates. The system won’t run unless it’s updated.
If you don’t have internet during an outage, the Powerwall will continue to run on its previous settings. However, it’s not a good idea to install a powerwall somewhere without an internet or cellular connection.
Can I use the Powerwall to charge my electric vehicles?
- Yes, you can use the powerwall to charge your electric cars and other vehicles. However, the Powerwall does not feature any additional benefits for Tesla vehicles.
Conclusion:
The Tesla Powerwall has the potential to modernize solar energy. It has made solar panels easier to use and made solar power more accessible as a whole. And with time, we can only expect it to get better.
In this article, we’ve discussed all the technicalities of the Tesla Powerwall to give you an idea about it. We hope you find this article helpful!