Tesla announces launch of home energy system that can store renewable electricity
Fri 01 May 2015
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Electric car maker Tesla has launched batteries that it says can power homes and businesses, storing solar energy and serving as a back-up system during power cuts. The system, named Powerwall, represents a move by Tesla beyond its core vehicle business.
The device, Tesla says, also allows consumers to get off a power grid or bring energy to remote areas that are not on a grid. Analysts have said that the rechargeable lithium-ion battery unit would be built using the same batteries that are used to produce Tesla’s electric vehicles.
The company have said in a statement that: “Tesla Energy is a critical step in this mission to enable zero emission power generation.”
Tesla will sell the 7kWh unit, named Powerwall, for £1,954, while the 10kWh unit will retail for £2,275 to installers. According to Deutsche Bank, the sales of battery storage systems for homes and businesses could yield as much as £2.94 billion in revenue for Tesla.
Energy comparison firm USwitch estimates that one kWh can power two days of work on a laptop, a full washing machine cycle or be used to boil a kettle 10 times.
Tesla's CEO Elon Musk said the company would partner with SolarCity to install the home batteries and that there would be more partner companies announced.
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