Tesla Energy has announced that it has completed the manufacturing of a new energy storage system which will store energy for consumers, especially those using renewable sources such as the sun and the wind.
For a very long time, the progress of renewable energy has been hampered by its transient nature. Neither the sun nor wind is available 24/7. And energy experts say this new invention by Elon Musk-Chief Executive of Tesla Motors, is set to change the energy landscape across the world.
Musk has invested much of his time and efforts into the manufacturing of electric cars, and is also currently developing a new set of concepts to make life more easy and comfortable for humanity. He announced in April, that the new energy storage equipment is known as Powerwall, and can hold up to 10 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electric energy.
The Powerwall has two different models, using two different generic cell chemistries. It uses proprietary technology for packaging and cooling the cells in packs with liquid coolant. The daily cycle 7 kWh battery uses nickel-manganese-cobalt chemistry and can be cycled 5000 times. The other is a 10 kWh battery which uses a nickel-cobalt-aluminum cathode like the Tesla Models, and is for weekly or emergency use and has higher energy density.
It delivers an average of two kilowatts and all for $3,500 US dollars, experts say that translates into an electricity price of around $500 US dollars per kWh, which is less than half of the current cost of electricity in the United States.
It is said that for individual households, this new Powerwall will bring the cost of energy down to around six cent per kWh, meaning that domestic system storage would still come out ahead of coal-fired power delivered through the conventional grid.
The Powerwall is made from a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. It stores electricity for domestic consumption, load shifting, and backup power. The bigger variant, which is available for industrial use, is known as Powerpack and has a storage capacity of 100 kWh.
Musk has said that he is going to manufacture the batteries in the United States. He is currently building the factory for the manufacturing of the batteries in California. And the technology for the manufacturing of the batteries is readily available.
The invention shows much promise and could be a more cost effective solution for power; Musk has said that the entire electric power grid of the US, could be replicated with just 160 million of these utility-scale energy storage units.
And globally, two billion of the utility-scale units could provide storage for 20 trillion kWh of electric power and power the entire world.
That is remarkable. And if it is given the needed support and attention, energy will become cheap and accessible to many individuals, especially those in the Third World.
Currently in Africa, one of the major challenges faced by governments is the provision of electricity to its citizens. The situation has left many economies, such as Ghana, almost crushing. There are also fears that the energy situation will get worse on the continent in a few years time.
As of this month, the Tesla Powerwalls have already sold out, with reservations slots filled up until the middle of 2016. Within the first few weeks, reservations for households totaled over 50,000 units, which amounts to around $179 million US dollars. Industries have also ordered some 25,000 units of the Powerpack, estimated to be around $625 million US dollars.
As the product has already started to be sold in the US, there is much hope that by next year, it might be available in the places where it is needed most. The energy revolution has begun and Elon Musk is leading the way!
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