Since Mike and Jan Lister added a rooftop solar system with a Tesla Powerwall energy storage battery to their home, they have seen their utility bills drop by a stunning 86%. The Lister’s system consists of 20 BenQ 330 watt solar panels, a Solar Edge inverter (one of the few inverters approved for use with the Tesla Powerwall) and a 6.4 kWh Powerwall.
“We have been fans of solar panels for a long time,” said Mike, “but it seems such a waste to generate all that energy and then send the majority of it back to the grid. Our Powerwall now means that we are now much more self-sufficient, spend much less on our electricity bills, and could power our house even if there was a powercut or grid issues. This makes the very best use of the solar electricity that our panels generate.”
The system was installed by SunGift, a Tesla approved contractor. “We’ve already carried out a high number of installations of the Powerwall,” said Ollie Gibbs, solar specialist at SunGift Energy, “and the feedback has been tremendous. Not only does it hugely reduce reliance on the grid, but also it looks modern and attractive. Homeowners are increasingly looking for simplicity, so the Powerwall is ideal because – once we’ve installed it – the battery is completely automated and requires no maintenance,” Gibbs adds.
With the internet based reporting system built into the inverter, the Listers are able to monitor the performance of their system in real time whether at home or away.
“Energy costs are forecast to rise significantly over the next few years and there are limited fossil fuel resources, so it’s crucial that homeowners get the maximum benefit from their solar panels,” says Gibbs. “We designed Jan and Mike’s Tesla Powerwall to work alongside their solar PV system, giving them peace of mind that they can produce and use their own electricity supply, with backup so that electricity is available in the evening.”
There is even more good news for solar system customers. The Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada is already manufacturing the battery cells that will go into the next generation energy storage product from Tesla, the Powerwall 2. “The Tesla Powerwall 2, which we will have in stock from February onwards, will make it possible for houses with larger energy demands to massively reduce their reliance on the grid too,” says SunGift’s Gibbs.
