It appears that Tesla Energy is poised to hit its rhythm this fourth quarter once more. Based on recent reports from Tesla container ship and delivery tracker group Veda Prime, it appears that a shipment of 792 Tesla Powerwalls is currently en route to Australia, where they would likely be promptly acquired by customers.
Tesla Energy’s battery storage products have found a pretty good market in Australia. Just recently, the company’s flagship battery storage unit, the grid-scale 3MW Megapack, was announced as a key part of a giant 300 MW battery installation at Victoria. Tesla’s previous flagship battery, the Powerpack, has also been used to expand the size and capabilities of the Hornsdale Power Reserve, a battery farm that once held the title of largest in the world.
While the Powerwall is a rather humble battery storage unit compared to its grid-scale siblings, the residential energy device appears to be developing into a key product for Tesla Energy nonetheless. In Australia alone, Powerwall batteries are expected to form the backbone of a massive Virtual Power Plant comprised of 50,000 homes fitted with solar panels and energy storage systems. The VPP, which is expected to deliver 250MW of solar energy and store 650MWh of backup energy, is poised to dwarf installations like the Hornsdale Power Reserve when completed.
Interestingly enough, the South Australia VPP is currently undergoing an expansion. Around September, reports emerged that the project has entered its third pace and efforts are underway to add another 3,000 public housing properties to the solar and home battery network. With this in mind, there seems to be a fair chance that some of the 792 Powerwalls heading to Australia may be used in the growing Virtual Power Plant.
The Powerwall 2’s potential has made relatively few headlines compared to Tesla’s electric cars, but the home battery has been making some solid headway in the United States as well. As shared by EnergySage in its eleventh semiannual Solar Marketplace Intel Report, which covers the 12-month period from July 2019 to June 2020, the Tesla Powerwall currently dominates the US’ home energy storage market, with over half of battery storage quotes in the firm’s Marketplace platform including the Tesla battery unit.
The Powerwall 2 features a lot of functions that are distinctly Tesla. Apart from being equipped with an integrated DC/AC converter, off-grid capabilities, and mobile app support, the Powerwall 2 is also capable of receiving over-the-air software updates, allowing the battery to optimize its performance and introduce new features. Among these is Storm Watch, which charges the battery to full capacity, providing users with a strong backup power source in the event that grid power fails due to inclement weather.
