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sonnen offering Aussies ‘free power’ via sonnenFlat

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German solar battery creator sonnen are offering Australian households ‘free power’ through their sonnenFlat service in an order to bolster their foothold in the Australian market.

Natural Solar, sonnen, and sonnenFlat

sonnenFlat sonnenBatterie
The sonnenBatterie with sonnenFlat energy tariff (source: sonnen.com.au)

Australian supplier and installer of solar products, Natural Solar, have been signed up to manage the offer for sonnen. They are also responsible for the supply and install of Tesla Powerwall 2’s, so they have plenty of experience in large scale product launches.

Sonnen were launched 7 years ago in Wildpoldsried, Germany, and has been growing at a rapid pace since, including their foray into the Australian energy market in 2016.

According to The Australian, sonnen have already gained a massive 13% of the Australian market share since entering it last year. They also sold over 11,000 battery units, ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 – and sonnen sees Australia as its ‘second most important’ market behind Germany – so they are willing to take a (potentially) loss leading strategy in order to gain greater market share for the medium-long term.

The sonnenFlat energy tariff is for sonnenBatterie owners where you receive a guaranteed, prearranged amount of energy for a monthly fee. “In return, some of the energy stored in the sonnenBatterie will be used to assist in the stabilisation of the electricity grid” – according to the sonnenFlat site.

Natural Solar’s website states that the ‘free power’ will be under a tiered system and have explained it thusly:

“Looking at the Germany model for sonnenFlat … storage determines the amount of free electricity the owner is entitled to.

The website also states that: “If a customer exceeds the amount based on their tier, then the owner starts to get charged only for electricity imported from the grid (not from power generated from your solar system and power utilised from your battery) at a rate significantly lower than standard retail electricity rates.” If you can get approved, this sounds like the sort of offer that will propel residential solar+storage from the ‘maybe’ category into the ‘definitely’ for those waiting for a chance to jump into the market.

How to sign up for sonnenFlat

You can register your interest for the sonnenFlat energy tariff trial by visiting this page on the sonnen website.

Sonnen / Bristle Roofing Solartile

Sonnen have been in the news recently as they’re offering an alternative to the Tesla Solar Roof – the sonnen Solartile – click the link to learn more about how it will work in conjunction with the sonnenBatterie (and presumably the sonnenFlat tariff offer). It’s great to see a strong Tesla Powerwall competitor also offer alternatives to the Tesla roof tiles – the two in conjunction with their new ‘free’ energy tariff will undoubtedly ensure we see and hear a lot more about Sonnen in the future.

sonnenFlat packages and cost

Here’s a breakdown of the sonnenFlat pricing structure – definitely starting to look like solar can be a real money saver!

sonnenFlat Cost and Pricing Packages
sonnenFlat Cost and Pricing Packages (source: sonnen)

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Australian Tesla Powerwall 2 Installation Guide

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Finally, after a litany of false starts and delays, Australians are beginning to enjoy installations of the Tesla Powerwall 2. Michael V, a user on the Australian based Whirlpool forum, documented the process of his install in a thread yesterday and it looks like the process went fairly smoothly, despite the fact that according to Michael it was the installers’ (Flashpoint Electrical and Solar at Punchbowl) first ‘actual’ install (i.e. they had practised on a prototype before but this was the first customer install). According to Tesla’s Facebook page, on April 28 they said that “Powerwall 2 installations have begun in Australia” but this is the first documented information we have on the process so please have a read and let us know if you have any questions or would like to share your experience with Australian Tesla Powerwall 2 Installation in the comments. We’d love to hear about it.

Tesla Powerwall 2 Installation and Ordering Process

The installations management team will help you with the Powerwall install process, which is, as far as we can tell, as follows  (please note this is after you’ve already pre-ordered a Tesla Powerwall 2 – there’s a ~2 month backlog in Australia right now so if you’re on the fence (wall?) about it then click here to visit Tesla’s site and order.

The Powerwall Install Process is as follows:

  1. A Tesla Certified Installer (from Downer Group, in Michael’s circumstance) visits your property to carry out a ‘site assessment’ – which will check:
    1. The suitability of your preferred location for Powerwall 2
    2. Site specific information for Tesla to provide a cost proposal for installation.
  2. A ‘proposal and sales agreement’ is prepared and sent within 7 days. Full payment is required 2 days prior to install.
  3. A Tesla Certified Installer visits your premises to install your brand new Powerwall 2!
  4. Powerwall 2 is connected via 3G (preferred) or Wifi so you can update the firmware and use the Tesla Powerwall App on your phone/tablet.

If you’d like to learn more about the actual install process, click here to view the full album of photos from Michael V on Whirlpool.

Tesla Powerwall 2 Installation Australia
Tesla Powerwall 2 Installation Australia (source Whirlpool via Michael V)

How to order Tesla Powerwall 2

You can either:

  1. Buy Tesla Powerwall 2 online from the official site ($650 AUD deposit will be charged to your credit card), or
  2. Request a callback from the Tesla Powerwall team (they generally respond within one business day).

Read more about the Tesla Powerwall 2 Australia Launch on our main Powerwall page! Find installers, Tesla Powerwall 2 alternatives, and much more.

Alternatively, if you’re interested in the Tesla Solar Roof in Australia click to read our article and information repository about this exciting new technology. Never hurts to be aware that there are also Tesla Solar Roof alternatives out there as well. Do your research before you commit to anything!

Australian Tesla Powerwall 2 Installations
Australian Tesla Powerwall 2 Installations (source: tesla.com)

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BYD B-Box Solar Battery vs Tesla Powerwall 2

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Edit: As of February 2018 we have a new page with more information about the BYD B-Box in Australia – please click here to read it. 

China’s BYD (Build Your Dreams), the largest producer of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries in the world, have released a new solar battery, the BYD B-Box, to compete with the likes of the Tesla Powerwall, Redflow and LG’s line of energy storage. The media launch was in late March in Sydney and BYD have signaled their intent to move aggressively into the Australian market. They’re a gigantic company based in Shenzhen with a market cap of $22b (Warren Buffet owns 8.25% of the company) and are bigger than Tesla (their battery factory is currently producing a massive 8.6gigawatts, 8 times larger than Tesla’s Nevada Gigafactory) , so they certainly pose a very realistic threat to the incumbent solar battery producers.

BYD B-Box Models

The B-Box comes in high voltage (HV) and low voltage (LV) – with the B-Box LV Residential the solar battery we expect to be the most interest to Australian consumers. The LV model comes in four flavours, listed below (please note you’ll also need to purchase a compatible inverter to go with the B-Box – but given the size of the company we expect that won’t be much of a problem):

BYD B-Box Specs
BYD B-Box Specs (source: solarquotes.com.au via BYD brochure)

BYD B-Box Price in Australia

BYD’s previous solar battery, the Mini, was a 6kWh system which retailed for around $11,000 AUD. Technological improvements and component price decreases means that the B-Box 10 will cost $8,500 AUD for an a 10kWh system, representing a reduction in price per kWh of over 50%. Liu Xue-liang, sales manager has indicated that BYD will be throwing their considerable heft behind the product and BYD’s electric car business, being quoted as saying: “This is not just a new product, it is a new industry,”.

BYD B-Box vs Tesla Powerwall 2

In contrast to the Bbox prices previously outlined, the Tesla Powerwall 1 was a $10,000 system at 7kWh and the Tesla Powerwall 2 will feature a 14kWh battery at $8,000 AUD – slightly more impressive figures for their second gen offering.

According to Adam Clements from Solar Australia the price declines in solar mean a 5.5kW PV roof solar system, inverter, and 7.5kWh BYD battery costs around $15,00 and pays for itself over eight years.

The BYD can have an AC or a DC inverter, as opposed to the AC only Powerwall 2. The B-Boxes also have very high power output, with the B-Box 10 able to give 10.24kW of power continuously (this would empty the battery in less than an hour). In comparison the Powerwall 2 can only output 5kW so if you were using it off-grid or as a backup for power-hungry devices, keep this in mind.

Please take a look at our post on Solar Batteries in Australia and Tesla Powerwall Competitors and Alternatives for further comparisons.

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Tesla Powerwall 2 Australia Release Date, Price, Specs, and Competitors.

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Tesla Powerwall 2 Australia Release Date

Tesla Powerwall 2 Australia 2018 update: you can get a Powerwall 2 in Australia from a number of different vendors. It depends on which state you’re in – they’re still in hot demand and there are a few states where they’re a bit difficult to come by. If you’re interested in the different energy storage options available to you, please check our solar battery comparison articles (or simply scroll down this article to learn more) – there’s plenty to read up on!

Also have a look at the case study on Gizmodo of a Melbourne man who says the Powerwall 2 will drop his power bill to $0.

According to the Tesla website, there is a ‘May 2017’ install date for Australia. Please note that this has changed a few times already and Tesla have moved the goalposts in other ways, such as removing the DC version of the Powerwall 2, so don’t bet the house on it. But we think Q2 2017 will see some Powerwalls in Australian houses! Watch this space and we’ll be reporting as soon as the first Powerwall 2’s start appearing in Australian homes.

Tesla Powerwall 2 Australia
The Tesla Powerwall 2 in action.

You can use the search function on the Tesla website to locate Australian stores, galleries, and service centers – just click here!

Tesla Powerwall 2 Australia Price

One 14kWh Powerwall battery is priced at $8,000 AUD. Two will cost you $16,000 AUD, and so on. According to the official Tesla site the ‘supporting hardware’ comes to $750 – and if you buy multiple Powerwalls you will only have to pay this $750 once. Please note this price excludes retailer/distributor connection charges which apply in some parts of Australia (more detailed information about this soon). It also excludes installation, which ranges from $1,150 to $2,900 plus permit fees, as per Tesla’s site.

Tesla Powerwall 2 Specs

The Powerwall 2 is substantially upgraded in almost every way from its predecessor, featuring:

  • 1150mm long, 755mm wide, 155mm diameter. (45″ x 30″ x 6″)
  • 14kWh battery (13.5kWh ‘Usable Capacity’)
  • 7kW peak power, 5kW continuous power.
  • Wall or floor mountable, indoor or outdoor.
  • 10 year manufacturer’s warranty
  • Scalable (up to 10 Powerwall 2’s)
  • Integrated Inverter (converts the DC energy into AC energy you need to use in your house)
  • Liquid Cooling
  • Control and view your energy usage/storage with the Tesla app (iOS and Android)
  • Weighs 125kg (276 pounds)
  • Degradation – it will hold around 70% of the 13.5kWh after 10 years.
  • 90% ’round’ trip efficiency.

Earlier this year Tesla were taking orders for a DC (i.e. without an included inverter) version of the Powerwall 2 but this has since been discontinued. The only available version of the Powerwall 2 is the AC version with inverter already built. If you’ve already got panels and an inverter it might be worth looking at alternatives to the Powerwall 2. LG Chem produces the RES7H and RESU10H (follow this link to SolarQuotes who have other great information) with 6.6 and 9.3 kilowatt-hours of usable storage respectively.

Is The Tesla Powerwall Worth It?

Let’s crunch the numbers. Obviously costs and prices will differ from household to household so plug in your own costs to see if a Tesla Powerwall is right for you. Let’s assume you can store the maximum of 13.5kwh each day, and you’ve changed your power plan to peak/offpeak (read more here). Let’s also assume an installation cost of $10,000 AUD ($8,750 to Tesla and $1,250 to cover installation and connection charges / permit fees).

The current off-peak price is around 10c/kWh and the peak price 30c/kWh (in comparison to the ‘standard’ everyday price of ~25c/kWh).

If you were to use all 13.5kWh in peak times, this would save you $2.70 a day, or $985.50 p.a.  (30c – 10c = 20c) (20 c x 13.5) (2.70 x 365).

By the 10th year, assuming the stated 30% degradation, you would have 9.45kWh which represents a saving of $1.89 a day, or $689.85 p.a.

You can use NREL’s PVWatts calculator to find out exactly how much sun you can expect at your residence. It’s a bit complicated but an amazing tool for those who want to get granular about the postential for solar savings.

Tesla Powerwall 2 Australia is only useful for some people at this point in time – solar panel and energy storage technology is coming along in leaps and bounds so this will only get more economical. There are also other options that may suit your individual circumstances.

Tesla Powerwall Competitors and Alternatives

There are a number of Tesla Powerwall alternatives – some would argue that you’re paying for the ‘prestige’ of the name. Always do your research before you buy something based on advertising or what your friends say – solar and solar storage come down to your individual requirements. It’s definitely worthwhile to carefully measure the numbers before you commit to anything!

And without further ado, have a look at some of your other choices – they may not be as sleek, but utilitarian can be sexy too:

Redflow Zinc Bromide ZBM2 – 10kWh ‘flow’ battery (click to view)

Redflow ZBM2 Flow
Redflow ZBM2 Zinc Bromide 10kWh Flow Battery
  • 10 kWh capacity.
  • 100% usable capacity
  • Warranty for 36,500 kWh or 10 years.
  • Flat voltage curve (charge 100% capacity with constant power – unlike lithium ion)
  • Web based management system with MODBUS communication software.
  • 240kg with electrolyte.

LG Chem RESU (Residential Energy Storage Unit)

LG Chem RESU
LG Chem RESU Energy Storage
  • 3 48volt DC models (RESU3.3, RESU6.5, RESU10).
  • 2 400v models (RESU7H, RESU10H).
  • Lithium Ion technology with 90-95% usable capacity.
  • On grid / Off grid installation options.
  • AC/DC coupling available, depending on your solar panels.
  • Much smaller than the Powerwall.
  • Easy installation.

SonnenBatterie Eco 8.2 battery system (click to view)

SonnenBatterie Eco Australia
SonnenBatterie Eco 8.2
  • 4-16kWh capacity (modular design which increases in 2kWh increments).
  • Easy to retrofit to your existing panels.
  • Compatible with all panels.
  • 10year / 10,000 cycle warranty.
  • 2.5 cycles per day (2.5x ‘value’ and faster payback).
  • Inverter included.
  • Online management with ‘self learning algorithm’ (automatically decides the best times to charge and supply).
  • Proper UPS and automatic blackout protection with SonnenBatterie Protect 1300.
  • Reliable supplier who has been making these batteries since 2008.

Fronius Energy Package (click to view)

Fronius Energy Package Solarwall.
Fronius Energy Package Solarwall
  • Six products configured in blocks of 1.5kWh (Fronius Solar Battery 4.5, 6.0, 7.5, 9.0, 10.5, 12.0 with 3.6, 4.8, 6.0, 7.2,8.4 and 9.6 kWh respectively)
  • Lithium Iron Phosphate technology.
  • Indoor installation required.
  • LiFePO4 battery technology.
  • AC integrated (hybrid) inverter – store the power as DC until you need it: extra efficiency – all the benefits of both AC and DC coupling!
  • 2 cycles per day.
  • They have a current rebate offer for purchase orders placed before July 31, 2017.

Enphase AC battery / storage system (click to view)

Enphase AC Storage System
Enphase AC Storage System
  • 1.2kWh capacity (modular – so install as many as you need – 1.2kWh won’t get you far).
  • Roundtrip cell efficiency: 96%.
  • Online monitoring software.
  • 2 cycles per day (double ‘value’ and faster payback).
  • Lithium-iron phosphate material and prismatic cells from Eliiy Power.
  • AC only – no high voltage DC involved in system (microinverters under the solar panels convert DC to AC – click here to read more).
  • Over 17,000 Enphase systems installed in Australia.

Global NRG silicone rechargeable battery (click to view)

Global NRG Silicone Rechargeable Battery
Global NRG Silicone Rechargeable Battery
  • Touted as the ‘first green battery in the world’.
  • Silicate Compound electrolyte.
  • Rapid charging time.
  • Their website is extremely poor but we’re following this one with interest too.

BYD B-Box (click to view)

BYD B-Box Australia
BYD B-Box Australia
  • BYD are the biggest supplier of lithium ion batteries in the world (market cap of ~$22b)
  • Modular design
  • 2.4KwH – 10KwH (B-Box 2.5, B-Box 5.0, B-Box 7.5, B-Box 10.0)
  • Safe lithium Iron Phosphate material
  • Needs a hybrid inverter (purchase separately from SMA, GoodWe, SolaX, and Victron)
  • AC/DC Coupling.
  • B-Box 10 can supply 10.24kilowatts of power continuously (much higher than almost every other battery if this is important to you – but please note this depends on inverter choice as well)
  • Peak power 20kilowatts for 3 minutes (also depends on inverter choice).
  • Indoor or outdoor installation.

Eaton Nissan xStorage

Eaton Nissan xStorage
Eaton Nissan xStorage
  • 4.2kWh, 6kWh, and 9.6kWh options available.
  • Single Phase / Three Phase Compatible
  • 10 Year Warranty
  • Inverter Included
  • 97% system efficiency
  • Smartphone connectivity
  • Price includes installation (in UK/EU)
  • Not currently available in Australia

Tesla Powerwall 2 Australia Installation

Tesla Powerwall 2’s are being installed in Australia right now. Read our Tesla Powerwall 2 Installation overview!

 Tesla Powerwall 3 Release Date

No word yet about the Powerwall 3, but as soon as there are any whispers, we’ll have them here. Compared to Powerwall 1, the Powerwall 2 has 40% more peak power, 50% more continuous power, double the storage capacity, an included inverter, and all for the same price. For some people it’s a viable cost-saving option – so if the Powerwall 3 can come even close to some of these improvements from the previous models, we’ll be well on our way for it to be a no brainer to have a solar PV system + energy storage on every roof in the country.

 Tesla Powerwall 2 New Zealand Installation and Price

According to FutureFive, the first New Zealand installation of a Tesla Powerwall 2 occured on August 24, 2017, in a Queenstown home. It was installed by Vector subsidiary PowerSmart Solar and they expect to install many more over the coming months. PowerSmart will also be installing New Zealand’s second Powerwall 2, but after that there are a number of other suppliers who are Tesla Certified and will be offering the product to Kiwis.

The RRP for a Tesla Powerwall 2 (including a Tesla Gateway) is $18,000 NZD for a single 14kWh (13.5 usable kWh) device.

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