Tesla unveils a battery to power your home, completely off grid

CEO of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, landed an official message unveiling the Powerwall, a battery designed to power your home.  The message came at a convention center powered completely by renewable battery power.

The battery unit itself contains the same batteries present in the Tesla electric cars.  The 7kWh unit will ship for $3,000, while the 10kWh unit will go for $3,500 (get the big one). They will store electricity from the grid or from solar and wind generators on site and if the grid goes down, they will continue to power your home indefinitely  This feature makes them ideal for developing nations that are leap-frogging power grids completely.

Musk refers to it as changing the "entire energy infrastructure of the world."

The batteries will begin shipping over the summer of 2015 and mount on the wall, looking like this

Here is a clip from the initial release

"Powerwall is a home battery that charges using electricity generated from solar panels, or when utility rates are low, and powers your home in the evening. It also fortifies your home against power outages by providing a backup electricity supply. Automated, compact and simple to install, Powerwall offers independence from the utility grid and the security of an emergency backup.

Powerwall comes in 10 kWh weekly cycle and 7 kWh daily cycle models. Both are guaranteed for ten years and are sufficient to power most homes during peak evening hours. Multiple batteries may be installed together for homes with greater energy need, up to 90 kWh total for the 10 kWh battery and 63 kWh total for the 7 kWh battery."

• TechnologyWall mounted, rechargeable lithium ion battery with liquid thermal control.
• Models10 kWh $3,500For backup applications7 kWh $3,000For daily cycle applications
• Warranty10 years
• Efficiency92% round-trip DC efficiency
• Power2.0 kW continuous, 3.3 kW peak
• Voltage350 – 450 volts
• Current5.8 amp nominal, 8.6 amp peak output

• CompatibilitySingle phase and three phase utility grid compatible.
• Operating Temperature-4°F to 110°F / -20°C to 43°C
• EnclosureRated for indoor and outdoor installation.
• InstallationRequires installation by a trained electrician. DC-AC inverter not included.
• Weight220 lbs / 100 kg
• Dimensions51.2" x 33.9" x 7.1"1300 mm x 860 mm x 180 mm
• CertificationNRTL listed to UL standards

 http://www.teslamotors.com/powerwall

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32545081

Image Credit: http://www.wired.com/2015/05/tesla-batteries/