Tesla Powerwall

Tesla Powerwall 2 Basics

The Tesla Powerwall is the best-known home battery on the market. The Powerwall sets the standard for the solar battery industry – it offers a great balance of capability, capacity, flexibility, and software, all at a very compelling price point. Many analysts consider the Powerwall to be the best home battery on the market today.

Tesla manufactures the Powerwall at its giant battery factory, nicknamed the “Gigafactory”, outside Reno, Nevada. While this facility also produces battery packs for vehicles, Tesla uses a slightly different chemistry in the Powerwall to optimize its functionality as a stationary storage system.

The first version of the Powerwall launched in 2015, with the current version (Powerwall 2) launching a year later. The second version featured additional capacity, as well as the integration of an AC inverter into the battery. Early Powerwall models and competitors, such as Sonnen and LG, required a separate DC inverter to use power from the grid or solar. The Powerwall 2 inverter is now part of the package, eliminating the need for a separate hybrid inverter. This makes for a more compact system that’s theoretically easier to install, with fewer parts to cover by separate warranties.

The Tesla Powerwall provides all the standard advantages of solar batteries, including backup protection against grid outages, time-of-use load-shifting, and greater energy independence. See our solar battery home page for a thorough review of these capabilities. The Powerwall also comes with industry-leading software that allows homeowners to view the power flows in their home and adjust battery settings on the fly.

Advantages

That said, The Powerwall does have some advantages compared to other solar batteries in the industry.

One of the biggest advantages of Powerwall is stackable output. Because Powerwall is an AC battery, its output is stackable, meaning that adding more batteries will provide greater amounts of power. So while one Powerwall outputs 5kW, two Powerwalls will output 10kW, three will output 15kW, etc. This also increases the amperage of the circuits that can be backed up. While one Powerwall can back up circuits up to 30 amps, two Powerwalls can back up circuits up to 60 amps, three up to 90 amps, etc.

This compares favorably to DC batteries, which do not have stackable output. Installing multiple DC batteries will increase the system’s storage capacity – meaning the system will provide power for a longer duration in an outage – but the overall system output doesn’t increase. Multiple DC batteries can only back up the same circuit amperage that one battery can.

Another big advantage of Powerwall is its thermal management system. Powerwall, like Tesla vehicles, has a liquid heating and cooling system running through the battery pack that keeps the cells operating at the ideal temperature. This system improves long-term performance, reduces degradation, and makes Powerwall more resilient for outdoor installations in high-heat areas.

Cost

The cost of a Tesla Powerwall typically runs about $12,000-$14,000, fully installed. That includes all of the ancillary components needed to make the battery function – see our article on solar battery pricing for more information about the factors that contribute to battery pricing. If homeowners buy multiple batteries at the same time, installers will typically reduce the cost of the subsequent batteries, since some of the equipment can be economized. If installed with solar, homeowners can then claim the 26% federal tax credit on the Powerwall along with the solar system, as well as additional state and local incentives like California’s SGIP program.

Summary

Overall, Powerwall is an industry-leading option home battery. It offers great capabilities at a very compelling price point. Boris Feldman is our own Solar.com customer who had a Tesla Powerwall 2 installed at home. Here’s what he had to say about his experience with his new backup battery.

“The Powerwall 2 is a really cool piece of technology that allows me to have total control of our household electrical usage. It’s a sleek design, and the mobile app is incredibly intuitive.”

Feel free to schedule a call with one of our Energy Advisors to see Tesla Powerwall pricing from verified installers in your area!