An integrated residential rooftop solar and energy storage system will be launched in Germany in December. Hanwha Q Cells rooftop solar and Samsung lithium-ion batteries will be sold together so German citizens can produce their own electricity from the sun and store it at home. The integrated storage technology is called Q.HOME.
Q.HOME will be offered in two versions. One is considered to be ‘standard’ and the other is for East-West orientations of rooftop solar systems. The solar power systems are 18 or 24 Q CELLS 260W modules, with capacities of either 4.68kWp or 6.24kWp.
A 3.6kWh Samsung SDI battery for energy storage interfacing with energy management software will be matched with the Q cells. Energy usage can be monitored with a home computer, tablet, or smart phone.
A one-phase inverter, mounting system, and some related equipment will be included in the whole package. (A similar integrated system will launch in the UK early next year, and it also uses Samsung batteries.)
Hanwha Q CELLS chief commercial officer Justin Lee explained: “Selecting and installing a PV rooftop system can be perceived as complex and time-consuming by many homeowners. With the latest Samsung SDI storage technology and our powerful Q CELLS PV kits we will offer Q.HOME, a convenient and easy solution for homeowners from a single source.”
The intention of the Hanwha Q CELLS and Samsung energy storage residential product is to allow consumers to become more independent of the grid. This goal not long ago was generally perceived as being something for a survivalist living in a rustic cabin. Now it seems almost poised to become mainstream, at least in Germany.
Once the product is launched and there are some early adopters, it will be great to see how it works and the press about ‘average Joes’ becoming more grid-independent. Research conducted in the United States has shown that the decision for a homeowner to “go solar” is influenced by a neighbor having already done it. Will more affordable electricity storage create any kind of ripple effect?
On another note, its great to see large companies that are able to collaborate with each other to bring solutions to consumers. Energy storage appears to be gathering some momentum lately, so it will be fascinating to see if Q.HOME is a success in Germany.
