As a homeowner in sunny California, you’ve probably considered harnessing the power of the sun to meet your energy needs. Solar power is a clean, renewable, and increasingly affordable source of energy that can power our homes, electric vehicles and more. But what happens when the sun goes down or power outages occur? This is where a home battery comes into play.

In the realm of renewable energy, Tesla Energy has made significant strides with its innovative products. One such product that has garnered much attention is the Tesla Powerwall, a home battery storage system that has revolutionized the way homeowners use and store solar power. This article will dive into the specifics of the Tesla Powerwall to give you a comprehensive understanding of how it works, the benefits and potential savings it brings, and answer an important question – how long can I power my home with a Tesla Powerwall?

What is the Tesla Powerwall?

The Tesla Powerwall is a rechargeable lithium-ion home battery storage system that stores energy at a residential level. This energy storage system is a game-changer in the world of solar power generation and has gained significant attention since its launch in 2015. With more than 250,000 installations worldwide, the Powerwall gives homeowners the ability to store excess solar energy produced during the day for use at night or during power outages.

The Powerwall is a testament to the advancements in solar batteries, boasting a usable energy capacity of 13.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh). This capacity is sufficient to power most homes during the evening using the solar energy generated and stored during the day. With the Powerwall, homeowners can maximize the use of solar power, reducing their reliance on the grid and use clean, renewable energy to power their home while protecting the environment.

How Does a Tesla Powerwall Work?

Understanding how a Tesla Powerwall works is key to appreciating its value. The Powerwall integrates seamlessly with solar photovoltaics (PV), the technology that converts energy from the sun into electricity. During the day, your solar panel system generates electricity and any excess energy that isn’t used by your home is stored in the Powerwall battery.

When the sun goes down, or in the event of a power outage, like PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) for example, your home draws from the stored energy in the Powerwall to ensure a continuous power supply. This cycle of electricity generation and storage is a testament to the efficiency of the Powerwall and the important role it plays in keeping your lights on, your phones charged and more with the use of solar power.

The Powerwall also has a unique ‘Time-Based Control’ mode, which allows it to charge and discharge based on the time of day. This feature is particularly useful in areas where electricity prices vary throughout the day, allowing homeowners to use stored energy during peak pricing periods and save money on their electricity bills.

How Much Electricity Will a Tesla Powerwall Provide?

The Tesla Powerwall boasts a usable energy capacity of 13.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh), signifying its ability to store a substantial amount of energy. To put this into perspective, this capacity is sufficient to cater to approximately half of the daily energy consumption of an average American household.

On a single charge, a Powerwall can typically power essential home appliances such as your refrigerator, WiFi, selected outlets, and a few lights for around 24 hours. Gaining an understanding of the electrical load of your various appliances can help you determine the amount of power needed to operate your home appliances effectively.

How Long Will the Powerwall Provide Power?

The duration for which a Powerwall can provide power depends on its usable storage capacity and the energy consumption of the appliances it’s powering. Given its 13.5 kWh capacity, a single Powerwall can run small loads and 120-volt appliances like a refrigerator for more than a day during a power outage. However, if you’re interested in whole-home backup, you’ll need to install multiple Powerwall batteries.

Combining Multiple Powerwalls for More Backup Power

One of the unique features of the Tesla Powerwall is its scalability. If you have a larger home or higher energy needs, you can combine multiple Powerwalls to increase your energy storage capacity. You can connect up to ten Powerwalls to provide more backup power. This means that if you have a large home with high energy consumption, you can still achieve whole-home backup with the right number of Powerwalls.

Each Powerwall added to your system will increase the amount of electricity you can store and use during a power outage. For example, if one Powerwall can run your essential appliances for about 24 hours, two Powerwalls could potentially double that duration. However, the exact duration will depend on your home’s energy usage.

Does a Tesla Powerwall Save Money on Electricity Bills?

A Tesla Powerwall can save money on electricity bills if your utility company uses Time-of-Use rates, which vary the price of electricity depending on the time of day. With a Powerwall, you can charge during off-peak periods and use that stored energy to power your home during expensive peak periods.

Battery storage systems like the Tesla Powerwall can offer additional financial benefits if you have a solar power system and your utility company doesn’t purchase excess solar power at the full retail electricity rate. However, if your utility company doesn’t implement Time-of-Use rates or provides full retail net metering, the financial savings from a Tesla Powerwall on your electricity bills might not be substantial.

Lifespan and Warranty of the Tesla Powerwall

The Tesla Powerwall is accompanied by a warranty that guarantees the battery will maintain at least 70% of its capacity after a decade of use. However, the specifics of how the battery’s lifespan is influenced by your usage patterns are detailed in Tesla’s warranty documentation. It’s important to understand that the ten-year warranty doesn’t imply that the Powerwall will need to be replaced after this period. In fact, it’s quite possible that your Powerwall could continue to serve your energy needs for an additional five to ten years beyond the initial warranty period.

Take Control of Your Electricity Costs

Solar energy storage is a crucial component of the renewable energy landscape. Investing in an electricity storage system can provide numerous benefits, from energy independence and resilience to potential cost savings. As the technology continues to evolve and improve, the future of solar energy storage looks bright for many homeowners indeed.

You can purchase a Powerwall directly from the company or from a Certified Powerwall Installer like Solar Technologies. If you’re ready to change the way you power your home and start saving more with solar, schedule an online appointment with us today.