Yob said:
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Try this link:
https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiw5_39xc3KAhUEq6YKHZ6ZDbcQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fbusiness%2Ftechnology%2Fwritings-on-the-wall-for-mainsonly-power-with-tesla-powerwall%2Fnews-story%2Ff00acc5b8fab87331c07a9d231d8e378&usg=AFQjCNHjEQEBdjLUDG16MjPmwjr0wWwXKw&sig2=5zXwi8ees-2zcDiJKBjpBQ
Entrepreneur Elon Musk’s dream of households storing energy is being realised with what is claimed to be the first installation of a Tesla Powerwall battery in an Australian home.
And hundreds more installations are about to follow, says Natural Solar, the company that installed it.
Nick Pfitzner, a programmer in Kellyville Ridge, in Sydney’s northwest, and his family are understood to be the first domestic Powerwall recipients.
Mr Pfitzner said he had considered other batteries but they were not as weatherproof or were too big compared with the lithium-ion Powerwall.
“It sticks on the wall, it doesn’t take up floor space, and it’s convenient to move around,” he said.
The Powerwall is not a complete off-grid system but aims to reduce mains dependence, charging from solar panels by day and from off-peak mains power at night.
Earlier stories:
Tesla presses the button on Australian Powerwall battery sales
What a Tesla Powerwall system will cost you
Mr Pfitzner said the household’s air conditioner, washing machine and pool pump would run mainly during the day, powered by his five-kilowatt solar-panel system. Battery power would be used morning and night.
“They’ll be a little bit of adjustment too,” he said.
“We won’t be boiling a litre and a half of water for a cup of tea, but if you make small modifications you can maximise the benefit. I don’t anticipate it will wipe out grid costs overnight — I will be learning over time how best to use it.”
Mr Pfitzner said he was also switching to a power provider that offered a “feed-in” tariff for excess power at about 10c per kW hour, and engaging a company called Reposit that trades power out of storage systems.
“It will analyse your usage patterns and pull power out of your battery and sell it to the grid,” he said. “It uses a market set rate.”
Tesla is not alone in offering home power-storage batteries; older-style lead acid batteries have been available for years. Tesla also faces competition from companies such as Mercedes and Daimler.
Natural Solar managing director Chris Williams said the company was proud to be part of the first installations in Australia. They were taking place after the initial Tesla Powerwall shipment arrived in Australia this week.
Mr Williams said demand was unprecedented. “We are receiving literally thousands of inquiries each week,” he said, noting 1.5 million households were using solar energy and hundreds had signed up for the new system since its availability was announced last month.
Consumers could opt for a complete solution of solar panels, an inverter and battery; have the battery retrofitted to an existing solar panel system; or install the battery without solar panels, with the battery simply storing off-peak power for daytime use. The Powerwall came with a 10-year warranty.
Mr Williams said Natural Solar had scheduled installations in major states and territories starting from next week.
Reaction from energy companies has been mixed. Last year former Australian Energy Market Operator chairman Tom Parry said the disruption pointed to consumers paying more for grid connections, no matter how much mains power they used.
Others are on board. US energy company Green Mountain Power said it would sell and lease Powerwalls to customers wishing to feed power back to the grid. And last year Australia’s AGL announced two new batteries with storage capacities of 11.6kW/h and 19.4kW/h for solar panel systems.
AGL’s executive general manager new energy, Marc England said the company was the first major energy retailer to launch a battery in the Australian market.
