Tesla's $13,000 battery could keep your home online in a blackout

[enzo1]

Full article here... Tesla's $13,000 battery could keep your home online in a blackout | Technology | The Guardian

“Tesla isn’t expected to spill the beans about its battery system until Thursday, but thanks to investment analyst Trip Chowdhry, we have some details ahead of the big announcement,” Benjamin Preston reports for The Guardian. “Built to work in concert with residential solar power setups, the Tesla battery system is basically an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that is large enough to keep refrigerators, routers, lights and other devices powered up when storms and other unforeseen incidents take grid power out of commission.”
“The system is offered, currently, in 10 and 15 kwh configurations to solar customers who do not own electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids; the battery pack costs about $13,000, and Pacific Gas & Electric offers a 50% rebate for using the system (presumably because it can be used to decrease load on the grid during peak use hours); financing is set up for the customer to make an initial $1,500 payment, followed by $15 monthly payments for 10 years (at the end of which the battery is returned to SolarCity); Tesla has permission from customers to monitor data from the systems; and Tesla packages the battery pack in what Chowdhry described as an attractive cabinet, available in white or a dark color,” Preston reports.

“Why install a battery system at home? Chowdhry pointed to customers relying upon constant connection with ‘the digital highway,’ noting that it could take up to 45 minutes to re-power devices and re-set digital clocks when the power went out,” Preston reports. “‘If you are a gadget person living a digital life – you have iPhones and computers and you always want to be connected – the storage battery is a dream come true,’ he said.”

[masraum]

Interesting, and interesting details.

So, the system is $13k, but PG&E will give you a rebate for $6500? And at the end of 10 years, when you're done paying, you give the battery back? So you've essentially rented it for 10 years?

What if there's a failure in less than 10 years? What are the odds of the battery dying?

Still, $15 / month for 10 years doesn't sound too bad. The fact that the battery gets returned in 10 years sounds bad, but in 10 years, the technology will probably have advanced a fair amount so you'd probably want something newer and better at that point anyway.

[biosurfer1]

Guess my grid is better than most, haven't had a black out since I moved in 8 years ago. Even if this system helped shave peak load, the pay back would still be decades if not centuries at best.

[red-beard]

WAY too much profit in that. We make similar systems and they don't cost that much.

[Neilk]

So is it a UPS or a system to store electricity produced during the day to power the house at night? If it is just a big UPS, then it doesn't make much sense.

[red-beard]

It is a UPS. But it isn't that big.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by masraum

So, the system is $13k, but PG&E will give you a rebate for $6500? And at the end of 10 years, when you're done paying, you give the battery back? So you've essentially rented it for 10 years?

So at the end of 10 years, you're just out $6500 ?
For the convenience of not having to reset your digital clocks after a power outage that you *might* have?

You can buy a 200amp / 22kw standby generator for about $4500.

How long does a 10 or 15 kwh battery power a typical home?
My power bill shows I used 42kwh per day last month.
So the Tesla battery would last me.... 8 hours?

[onewhippedpuppy]

I'm not seeing how this is in any way better than a standby generator. I can reset a lot of clocks in 45 minutes! Maybe that's how long it takes Musk to get through his mansion, resetting everything.

[red-beard]

Our Mi-Grid 1000, comes with 11.52 kWh of battery storage, a 6kW diesel generator (Natural Gas is an option), 5.22 kW of Solar Panels with ground mounts, housed in a "dog house", with the foot print of a standard Pallet.

You connect it to your house and you can connect it to the grid. It will automatically select the least expensive power source. And the batteries are sized to allow operation over night without the generator coming on. Generator will operate less than 1.5 hours per day if off grid. This would allow about 1/2 year between filling the tank (100 gal).

The primary power is the solar array. The batteries store the excess from the panels. The generator will kick on to fully charge the batteries for overnight, unless it is grid connected.

There are also hot water and potable water options.

$25K.

The 1000 is designed for a 1000 square foot house in the South Texas/Mexico areas including the use of air conditioning. It produces 38 kWh per day.

Mi-Grid 500 - 24kWh/day - $19K - $13K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 1000 - 38kWh/day - $25K - $17K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 2000 - 75kWh/day - $43K - $30K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 4000 - 150kWh/day - $77K - $54K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 25k - 350kWh/day - $160K - $117K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 50k - 750kWh/day - $320K - $234K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 100k - 1.5MWh/day - $700K - $490K after Federal incentives

California models would be slightly more expensive due to the different generator.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

So at the end of 10 years, you're just out $6500 ?
For the convenience of not having to reset your digital clocks after a power outage that you *might* have?

You can buy a 200amp / 22kw standby generator for about $4500.

How long does a 10 or 15 kwh battery power a typical home?
My power bill shows I used 42kwh per day last month.
So the Tesla battery would last me.... 8 hours?

Yes, you are correct. But usage is higher during the day and less at night. Home peak is typically the evening - Cooking, TV, lights after sundown and still a very warm part of the day (AC).

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I'm not seeing how this is in any way better than a standby generator. I can reset a lot of clocks in 45 minutes! Maybe that's how long it takes Musk to get through his mansion, resetting everything.

If you are a person with Solar on your house, it could be helpful.

And it will be VERY helpful to Elon Musk!

[stealthn]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Our Mi-Grid 1000, comes with 11.52 kWh of battery storage, a 6kW diesel generator (Natural Gas is an option), 5.22 kW of Solar Panels with ground mounts, housed in a "dog house", with the foot print of a standard Pallet.

You connect it to your house and you can connect it to the grid. It will automatically select the least expensive power source. And the batteries are sized to allow operation over night without the generator coming on. Generator will operate less than 1.5 hours per day if off grid. This would allow about 1/2 year between filling the tank (100 gal).

The primary power is the solar array. The batteries store the excess from the panels. The generator will kick on to fully charge the batteries for overnight, unless it is grid connected.

There are also hot water and potable water options.

$25K.

The 1000 is designed for a 1000 square foot house in the South Texas/Mexico areas including the use of air conditioning. It produces 38 kWh per day.

Mi-Grid 500 - 24kWh/day - $19K - $13K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 1000 - 38kWh/day - $25K - $17K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 2000 - 75kWh/day - $43K - $30K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 4000 - 150kWh/day - $77K - $54K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 25k - 350kWh/day - $160K - $117K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 50k - 750kWh/day - $320K - $234K after Federal incentives
Mi-Grid 100k - 1.5MWh/day - $700K - $490K after Federal incentives

California models would be slightly more expensive due to the different generator.

OK I want more info - URL?

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by stealthn

OK I want more info - URL?

Tetra West Technology

I'm not sure what you're solar incentives will be in Canada. And depending on your latitude and clearness ratio (clear days per year) for your location, the number of Solar panels may be adjusted.

[porsche4life]

Very interesting james! We are wanting to build a cabin at some point. I'll have to have a chat with you when we get started at some point.

[red-beard]

My focus has been on the Military and "preppers". My sister, who I put in charge of heading up this concern, is more focused on NGOs, governments and small village power for third world.

[red-beard]

Oh - One other thing - my systems use a form of Lithium Batteries which can last up to 20 years. AGM batteries would last 3-5 years and Lithium-Ion batteries will last 3-5 years.

[stealthn]

What temperature is the kit rated to (low)?

[red-beard]

Batteries are rated to -40F/C. I'll check on the Generator.

[cashflyer]

A genuine gererator is rated to one. Kelvin.

[on2wheels52]

In the event of a blackout I don't think getting online or knowing what time it is will be my greatest concerns
Jim