Slim, Stylish And Seriously Cool: Is Your Home Ready For The Tesla Powerwall 2?

Some brands understand the sheer impact of having well-designed, sleek products – and Tesla is right up there with the best.

The company's Powerwall 2 lithium-ion battery is flatter than its predecessor (just 155mm deep) so it seems less intrusive, is more rectangular, and weighs just 122kg. It can be wall or floor-mounted and, while the cells are manufactured by Panasonic, the all-important battery module and stylish pack are both constructed by Tesla to create not only an innovative, high-spec piece of technology that can help revolutionise how your household uses and pays for power, but also a seriously cool window into the future of smart-homes.

Primarily, though, Kiwi households want to trust that the technology they bring into their homes is both safe and will provide a long-lasting return on their investment. And, says Phil Harrison, the Managing Director of Harrisons Solar, the rapid growth and increasing excitement around battery technology means an increasing likelihood of sub-par products coming on to the market.

“Lithium-ion is the really the battery of choice and Tesla and LG are really the two names that dominate that field – which is why Harrisons Solar has decided to partner with both of these great companies,” Phil says.

“But just as happened with the Panels, I'd expect an awful lot of product to come out of China too – and that's where the safety aspect comes in. You have to be really careful when it comes to batteries in terms of safety – and you certainly shouldn't choose a cheap version over a safe version.

“These two brands come out of extensive research in the electric vehicle market and can be trusted to perform well and safely. Of course, the Powerwall 2 is an excellently designed battery, but that shouldn't undercut the importance of how well it performs too.”

How does the Powerwall 2 work and is your home ready for battery storage?

The Powerwall 2 stores the energy that's generated by Solar Panels during daylight hours so that it can be used later when the Panels aren't working – It's even smart enough to import power from the grid when the rates are low and store it for use when it might usually cost you more. And because the Powerwall 2 comes with an inverter (the gadget that converts power generated by the Panels into the useful alternating current your home's whiteware, entertainment Systems, heating, lighting etc all run on) It's already geared up to make those “smart” decisions about when to store power and when to use it.

The Powerwall 2's smarts also extend to its app which gives the household complete control and visibility of their energy use and storage – it can even warn you about a cloudy forecast which might affect your Panels' performance!

The $14,399 upfront cost (excl Installation) (or $68.90 per week via Harrisons Solar Easy Pay Plan)* gets you 14kWh of stored energy that can provide 5kW of continuous power (up to 7kW at peak) – enough to power an average-size Kiwi household through the night. And that's twice the storage and twice the energy of the original Powerwall.

Choosing battery storage isn't just about choosing innovation and forward-thinking tech for your home – It's also about looking for reliability and designing your home to maximise its potential. For example, homes that use most of their power during the early mornings, evenings and night (ie when the sun isn't shining) are the homes that would benefit most from storing clean, renewable Solar energy during the day.

Equally homes with battery storage should understand how much energy they use and choose a System that matches their requirements – it pays, for example, to maximise roofspace with high-wattage Panels if you intend to use power during the day while still charging up batteries for the night time.

For more information on Tesla's Powerwall 2, or how battery storage and Solar generation can change your household's energy costs and needs, contact Harrisons Solar to book a consultation with one of our experts or visit the website to find your nearest Harrisons Solar expert.

*Not including installation

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