Welcome back to Tesla Day. First we did the Model S roundup, and now we’re onto the Powerwall video roundup.
With the advent of the Powerwall, Tesla has thrown the proverbial cat among the pigeons in the solar PV industry.
While battery storage systems for solar PV installations have been around for many years, the Powerwall has seriously reinvigorated the market by offering a more reasonable priced battery option for home & business owners wanted to store their unused solar power for use after prime daylight power production times. At the launch, the Powerwall was claimed to be about 1/3 of the price of their competitors, although it’s a lot more expensive in Australia for now…
So, here’s where it all began. Elon Musk’s introduction and launch of the Powerwall to the world. Take note that the entire event was all powered by batteries, which was a clever way to prove the effectiveness of the product.
In this video from Wired, Brent Rose talks about the real world economics of a Powerwall battery system and how it’s not very cost effective in the USA because of the low price of their power at the moment. Keep in mind that in Australia, electricity is probably double or triple the price of the USA, so once the price of the Powerwall gets down to a more decent level locally, the economics of buying a Powerwall in Australia will definitely become attractive. Just don’t expect miracles yet. Think of the Powerwall as being like the first iPhone. Very cool gadget, useful, but still a ways to go before it’s a killer product. Nowadays, iPhones (and all smartphones) are streets ahead of the first models, and the Powerwall will go the same way.
In our next video, we actually step slightly away from the Powerwall itself and take a look at the Gigafactory. The Tesla Gigafactory 1 is a lithium-ion battery factory which is under construction primarily for Tesla Motors at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center in Storey County, Nevada, US, slated to be operational by 2016 or 2017. The projected cost to build the facility was approximately US$5 billion. Once this baby gets into production, you will see some significant improvements in the price and functionality of the Powerwall, as Tesla will be able to take advantage of economies of scale in their battery production. The video was filmed from a drone using a 4K camera, so it’s visually spectacular, if not too much finished construction to see. Enjoy.
Back on 28 Jan 2016, Channel 10’s The Project did an intro piece on the Powerwall and the first family to install one in their Sydney home.
You can watch their video here: http://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/the-project/extra/season-7/tesla-powerwall (sorry, it doesn’t have an option to embed it in this page)
Lastly, here’s a good piece by the ABC 7.30 Report, where they ask the question “Is off-the-grid living a reality we can afford?” You SHOULD be aware of all the pros & cons of going off-grid, and ROI is probably not the most compelling at this stage. However, there are other options discussed in this report.
OK Tesla fans. It’s over to you. Comment below with your questions and thoughts on Tesla and their Powerwall product. Are you thinking of buying? Going fully off-grid? What are your concerns? We want to hear from all of you.
