[RE-wrenches] Availability of Powerwall Batteries

[Starlight Solar Power Systems]

August,

There are applications where Lithium batteries are far more cost effective than lead batteries. We have off grid customers in Mexico using our LFMP battery systems. Because these are seasonal homes that are left for 6-8 months, there is no maintenance for many months. Every 2-3 years they ruin lead acid banks. For this application, LFMP batteries are ideal. Just turn the battery off and walk away. Come back in 8 months and it is right where you left it less about 1-2AH (EMS boards draw small current). Plus there is an advantage of less capacity degradation due to high summer temperatures. 

The same thing applies for our RV customers that only use them for a few months each year.

Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar Power Systems




On Jan 22, 2016, at 9:26 AM, August Goers <august at luminalt.com> wrote:

...I’m not convinced that any of the other lithium products are ready for prime time. They are expensive and I don’t personally want to spend the time or money to experiment with them at this point…

Cheers,
 
August
Luminalt

 
From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>] On Behalf Of Peter Parrish
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2016 11:07 AM
To: 'RE-wrenches'
Cc: peter.parrish at solargnosis.com <mailto:peter.parrish at solargnosis.com>
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Availability of Powerwall Batteries
 
I have a residential client who wants a grid tied PV system with battery backup. The client wants everything to be top of the line: Sunpower modules. Tesla Powerwall batteries.
 
Unfortunately, I have been spending time recently researching "smart energy storage" for commercial applications focusing on peak demand shaving. These are 480 V 3-phase systems with 30 kW inverters and 48+ kWh Lithium technology batteries. I think I am beginning to understand the performance trade-offs and how these systems can complement PV to reduce demand charges as well as usage charges.
 
My problem, is that I have not spent as much time researching the newer residential GTBB offerings. I have studied the Juicebox offering – Schneider XW5548 plus NMC Lithium batteries -- but that’s about it. I don’t know the default vendor for the NMC batteries and if not Powerwall, could Powerwall be a replacement?
 
Otherwise, does anyone know how to access the Powerwall offerings?  Also has anyone had success getting a rebate in CA through the SGIP/AES program? I know to qualify for SGIP one needs to demonstrate load shifting as opposed to (or in addition to BB).   
 
There seems to be an offering from Solaredge (Storedge), but it is not clear their optimizers work with the 96 cell Sunpower X21-345, for example.
 
I am convinced that smart storage will become more important over time, and I would like to use this customer to “get smart”, and prepare for future business of this sort.
 
Any practical knowledge would be greatly appreciated. I am happy to exchange information on commercial demand management offerings.
 
-          Peter
 
Peter T. Parrish, Ph.D.
President, SolarGnosis
1107 Fair Oaks Ave., Ste. 351
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(323) 839-6108
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional #031806-26
peter.parrish at solargnosis.com <mailto:peter.parrish at solargnosis.com>
 


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20160122/53c29462/attachment-0002.html>