Science & Technology

Tesla unveils batteries that can power entire homes out soon

Sputnik
Fri, 13 Feb 2015 15:19 UTC

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the lithium-ion battery technology the company has already developed can be used in the home, although Musk wouldn't say exactly what it would cost or when the company would be able to officially roll it out, but he hinted it would be soon.

The design, Musk added, is already finished and production of the battery could begin as soon as six months from now. Musk told reporters he was very pleased with preliminary tests of the battery, which reportedly could last up to a week before needing to be recharged.

"We are going to unveil the Tesla home battery, the consumer battery that would be for use in people's houses or businesses fairly soon," Musk said during a conference call Wednesday that focused on company earnings and which was first reported by Bloomberg News.

Musk says he is planning to make a product that would work like a car battery, but in the home, and told reporters that he expects "enormous demand" for battery systems in home and businesses that would serve as backup systems when the power goes out, or as a way to save on energy costs.

Reader Comments

Ragnar · 2015-02-13T15:45:32Z

Back up battery hell! I want one to get off the vampire grid! I'm sure that solar panels could charge this battery. Even a large Sterling engine could likely keep one charged.

The whole downside to solar power has been its inability to store power for those times when the panels can't be powered. This way you could ride on the battery's charge during inclement weather.

Snowalker · 2015-02-13T16:21:10Z

New Batteries a Paradigm Change

The Tesla batteries along with flow and sodium batteries will usher in a new world of electricity use and storage. Financial analysts from across the spectrum have been near unanimous in their predictions that the cost of PV panels AND battery storage will reach grid parity (cost to produce and store will equal cost to purchase from the grid) in the entire US within 5 years. Hawaii is already there. California is close.

What this means is that those of us who currently have grid tied systems will purchase the batteries and leave the grid entirely unless we still have SREC's or other monetary incentives to stay. As more customers leave the grid the maintenance costs for those who are left will increase. These price increases will provide a strong incentive for more people to purchase solar causing a spiraling defection from the grid.

We are close to that tipping point and the utilities are fighting a losing battle and they know it. The exceptions such as Southern California Edison are glaring. SCE is building North America's largest battery bank (http://newsroom.edison.com/releases/sce-unveils-largest-battery-energy-storage-project-in-north-america) next to a gas fired generator with, you guessed it, Tesla batteries!

katesisco · 2015-02-13T16:34:10Z

hmmmmmmmmm........

As many utilities now require the monthly fee merely for having the utility line the road your driveway is on, it is highly doubtful they will roll over and play dead in the face of a battery capable of running the home .

nedlud · 2015-02-13T16:59:39Z

faster than a speeding bulletin

I think it is clear we need to keep things running and moving and growing as fast as we can, technologically. This can only be done through upshifts in the technological paradigm.

Otherwise, the economy of moving fast and getting faster would slow down.

People would have a hard time keeping up with this sort of 'paradigm change'.

Their investments would go SPLAT, the bureaucracy would go BROKE, the military and government would FAIL and the rich would be poor and then they would have to raise their own food, instead of stealing it from those who already are poor.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

ned

win 52 · 2015-02-13T17:28:21Z

Revival

We are getting back to to where our ancestors were 12,000 years ago.

Only another 50,000 years to go!

sottreader · 2015-02-13T18:03:24Z

Unless Tesla has been able . . .

. . . to DRASTICALLY improve the design and construction of lithium ion based batteries, any savings that a homeowner might see from using this type of battery will more than likely be expended in much, much higher homeowner's insurance premium costs.

While they are more efficient storage devices than older tech batteries, experience with lithium ion batteries over the years (most recent examples include the Boeing 787) demonstrate that they require extra-ordinary care and "baby-ing" to minimize fire risks, etc.

Until we get well past the public relations hype, I will remain skeptical that such batteries and supporting electronics can be made "bullet-proof" and safe enough for common use in homes without costing an arm and a leg.

why wander · 2015-02-13T18:41:01Z

Yeah..... Let me know when the powers that be bestow upon you cheap energy made with puppy farts and fairy kisses. How are these batteries going to be charged as they shutter all the coal fire power? The more likely scenario is that you will be paying 1400 a month to heat and light your home in the not too distant future, but by all means by stock in Tesla.
I am not saying that cheap or free-ish energy doesn't exist, rather, I am saying that if you think the powers that be are getting ready to hand it to you you may be a tad out of touch. They'll be handing something to you alright.

just thinking · 2015-02-13T21:34:51Z

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Divide By Zero · 2015-02-13T21:45:57Z

Good idea but the tech is still not

It's a good idea to be able to store energy off peak and use it during the day. That would allow utilities to run more efficient big plants and not need as many low efficiency quick demand peaker plants.

However, I seriously doubt the claims for a week of power storage.
The average power use of a home in the US is 900 kwh per month. That is approx 30 kwh per day. Kwh is measurement of energy with time. Watts alone is just instantaneous energy, not storage.

A laptop battery which is what Tesla has been using as the best power density source has 11 volts, and 6 amp hours. 11x6=66 watt hours per battery. This is coming from a newer style lithium ion battery, they might have increased energy density by 10-20% but it's still not there yet.

So, let's say we want a day of power. 30,000 wh / 66wh= 454 laptop batteries, not counting efficiency loss and the problem of not being able to use ALL of the battery's power without hurting it's life cycle.
For a week, that would be 454x7= 3182 laptop batteries.

So, let's calculate the size of this battery bank of 3200 batteries. Each cell is 0.75 in x 0.75in x 3 in. The laptop battery has 6 cells. So, a laptop battery without the plastic casing and circuitboards is 6x0.75x0.75x3=10.2 cubic inches.
3200x10.2= 32640 cubic inches. -> 227 cubic feet. If we go 7 feet tall and we stacked the batteries that would need a room 6 feet wide and long. So pretty much a quarter of a typical bedroom would be all batteries. But like was mentioned, these batteries make a lot of heat and need spacing. So with spacing added, pretty much expect half a typical bedroom full of these batteries and some equipment that would have to exhaust the heat from the "magical tesla week long storage".

I don't think that size of battery bank is feasible right now, until they get better energy density.

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Tesla unveils batteries that can power entire homes out soon

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