Nissan has partnered with Eaton, a US corporation, to bring residential storage battery systems to customers in the UK. We’ve reported on this partnership a few times over the years, but the product — xStorage — is now close to hitting homes. There’s also a business-scale product available.
There are already 850,000 rooftop solar systems in the UK. Experts expect energy storage will become extremely popular with people who have existing solar installations as government support for solar energy wanes. Also, time-of-day pricing is expected to become more common as all homes in the UK are fitted with so-called smart meters by 2020.
Like the Tesla Powerwall, the Nissan system is attractively styled so that it is visually appealing. In theory, it could be mounted on a living room wall and become a topic of conversation like a piece of art from Chagall or Van Gogh. The cells for the residential battery will be manufactured in the UK by Nissan at its manufacturing facility in Sunderland.
The system is priced at £4,200–4,700 (€5,000–5,580), or as low as £3,000 (€3,500) for systems that use used batteries. The base product is a 4.2 kWh system with a 3 kW inverter. The Tesla Powerwall 2 has a capacity of 14 kWh for a price of £5,900. But there are other factors to consider when comparing a Powerwall, xStorage, or some other energy storage product.
You can pre-order an xStorage unit for just £50. Nissan hopes the fact that its battery cells are produced in the UK will be an incentive for some customers.
For those who want battery storage for less money, Nissan is offering its product with battery cells recycled from the battery packs of its electric car, the LEAF. Battery packs used in automobiles may retain up to 80% of their energy capacity even after their performance has degraded to the point where they are no longer able to meet the demands of an electric car. The brand new batteries come with a 10 year warranty. Recycled batteries will have a 5 year warranty.
There’s also an “xStorage Buildings” option for businesses. Pricing isn’t indicated — it seldom is in this market.
Eaton brings its nationwide network of experienced energy system installers to the arrangement. “We’re clearly going into this market with a view to becoming the leader of the market, with the weight of Nissan and its factory in Sunderland, and with Eaton’s very strong base of installers. We believe we have the knowledge and capacity,” says Cyrille Brisson, vice-president at Eaton.
On May 11, Eaton will announce a sponsorship deal with Manchester City football club, which Nissan already sponsors. Fans will be able to buy a special, Man City–branded version of the storage systems. Woo hoo!
Source: The Guardian | Photo credit: Nissan/Eaton
