Tesla Energy now starting to sell Powerwalls in California

[ecarfan]

When Tesla Energy launched on Apr 30 2015, the next day I sent them an email through the website requesting a Powerwall "reservation", or whatever they called it then. I heard nothing from Tesla Energy since that date, until last weekend I got an email asking me to fill out an online survey, which I did (I am very close to signing a contract to have a 10kW PV system installed). The survey I am referring to is the one discussed in this thread Tesla Powerwall Installation E-Mail
Today I got a phone call from someone at Tesla Energy to tell me that they are ready to sell me a Powerwall. Not the 10kWh "backup" Powerwall, but the 7kWh "daily cycling" Powerwall. I was told the larger Powerwall is not for sale in California at this time.
Now I am just reading in other threads (like this one 10 kWh gone) that the 10kW Powerwall is no longer listed on the Tesla Energy web page (at least on the US website) and that the only Powerwall version shown is 6.4kWh. The person I spoke to today did not correct me when I asked if it was the 7kWh version they were offering me, they said that was the version and repeated the 7kWh figure.
After I got off the phone call, rather excited that I was finally going to get a Powerwall, I realized that apparently Tesla is not sticking to their previously announced policy of only offering the Powerwall through approved resellers. The person I spoke to did not even ask me which solar company I was using (it is not SolarCity, by the way). That leaves me with the impression that I will be buying the Powerwall directly from Tesla.
I will post more when I have more information.

 

[ohmman]

I've got a similar set of parameters to you:

* reserved the day after the launch
* got the online survey next week
* live in California

I haven't heard from them yet, but I already have a PV system installed, and I did not use SolarCity. I'll be interesting to see how long it takes for me to hear something.

 

[K-MTG]

What's your utility? I actually reserved in January, but got the survey and filled it out but accidentally hit submit without filling in my utility info, I emailed them if I can add it but they didn't respond.

Excluding my solar, I use about 37 kWh per day from the utility and in the summer it was about 52 kWh will one power wall be sufficient for me?

 

[roblab]

I've got a similar set of parameters to you:

* reserved the day after the launch
* got the online survey next week
* live in California

I haven't heard from them yet, but I already have a PV system installed, and I did not use SolarCity. I'll be interesting to see how long it takes for me to hear something.

You and me both. I have 11 kW, would like to dump PG&E, but know I probably can't. But Powerwalls would be cool. What's life all about, anyway? Well, other than that.

 

[Merrill]

I also got the email and answered the survey, I have a 4.5 system and looking to add to it. Not done by Solar City and waiting for the phone call. Since PG&E eliminated the E7 rate schedule just looking for a way to compensate for what I believe will be a higher bill.

 

[K-MTG]

My system is under the Solar City PPA not sure if they will let me use my current inverter with the power wall since it is technically Solar City's property as I have a 20 year lease from them

 

[electracity]

My system is under the Solar City PPA not sure if they will let me use my current inverter with the power wall since it is technically Solar City's property as I have a 20 year lease from them

You will probably need to buy it from solarcity. Solaredge doesn't have the powerwall working yet with older inverters AFAIK. They are working on an interface kit, but this stuff probably has to be UL approved in the U.S.

- - - Updated - - -

When Tesla Energy launched on Apr 30 2015, the next day I sent them an email through the website requesting a Powerwall "reservation", or whatever they called it then. I heard nothing from Tesla Energy since that date, until last weekend I got an email asking me to fill out an online survey, which I did (I am very close to signing a contract to have a 10kW PV system installed). The survey I am referring to is the one discussed in this thread Tesla Powerwall Installation E-Mail
Today I got a phone call from someone at Tesla Energy to tell me that they are ready to sell me a Powerwall. Not the 10kWh "backup" Powerwall, but the 7kWh "daily cycling" Powerwall. I was told the larger Powerwall is not for sale in California at this time.
Now I am just reading in other threads (like this one 10 kWh gone) that the 10kW Powerwall is no longer listed on the Tesla Energy web page (at least on the US website) and that the only Powerwall version shown is 6.4kWh. The person I spoke to today did not correct me when I asked if it was the 7kWh version they were offering me, they said that was the version and repeated the 7kWh figure.
After I got off the phone call, rather excited that I was finally going to get a Powerwall, I realized that apparently Tesla is not sticking to their previously announced policy of only offering the Powerwall through approved resellers. The person I spoke to did not even ask me which solar company I was using (it is not SolarCity, by the way). That leaves me with the impression that I will be buying the Powerwall directly from Tesla.
I will post more when I have more information.

I am really surprised that Tesla Energy is calling consumers directly. Perhaps Tesla trashed the 10kWh powerwall because net metering is changing so fast. With the 10kWh model, Tesla risks sticking a customer with the wrong battery chemistry if their need switches to daily cycling.

I think at some point Tesla Energy will have a software aggregation/trading solution, perhaps in partnership with solarcity. Considering Musk's software background, he must feel that Tesla can do it better.

 

[K-MTG]

You will probably need to buy it from solarcity. Solaredge doesn't have the powerwall working yet with older inverters AFAIK. They are working on an interface kit, but this stuff probably has to be UL approved in the U.S.

So I will need to buy a 2nd inverter and replace my current one or have it installed along side with it?

 

[electracity]

So I will need to buy a 2nd inverter and replace my current one or have it installed along side with it?

Solaredge is working on an adapter for existing inverters. They haven't said which models it will support. The fast way to get a battery will be to buy the one inverter model that supports batteries and replace your existing inverter.

You will need to talk to solarcity.

 

[schonelucht]

Now I am just reading in other threads (like this one 10 kWh gone) that the 10kW Powerwall is no longer listed on the Tesla Energy web page (at least on the US website) and that the only Powerwall version shown is 6.4kWh. The person I spoke to today did not correct me when I asked if it was the 7kWh version they were offering me, they said that was the version and repeated the 7kWh figure.

Did they tell you if they are selling you the v1 or v2?

 

[ecarfan]

Yesterday in a follow up email after my phone with them, Tesla Energy told me that the only SolarEdge inverter that is currently compatible with the Powerwall is the 7600 model. I assume that is the SE7600A-US model, as that is the only inverter that SolarEdge sells in the US with "7600" in the model designation. You can see it listed in this PDF http://www.solaredge.com/files/pdfs/products/inverters/se-single-phase-us-inverter-datasheet.pdf
Of course those are all single phase inverters. It is possible that the Powerwall will work with one of SolarEdge's 3-phase inverters that are used in other countries (I am in California) but I have no information about that.

Did they tell you if they are selling you the v1 or v2?

The Tesla Energy person did not say anything about that, and I did not ask about it. I have been considering installing solar for many years.
I am ready to move ahead now, and am just glad that I can install a Powerwall at the same time as I install my solar. One can always wait for the next version of a technology thinking it will be "better" (and it usually is, in some way), but at some point one has to make a decision to proceed with what is currently available.

 

[electracity]

1/1/2018 is an important date for California. After that date, new solar will have time of use pricing. Presumably existing solar will continue with existing net metering

 

[K-MTG]

Solaredge is working on an adapter for existing inverters. They haven't said which models it will support. The fast way to get a battery will be to buy the one inverter model that supports batteries and replace your existing inverter.

You will need to talk to solarcity.

From a technical standpoint won't the SE3800 inverter work? The powerwall supplies 3.3 kWh while my current inverter can do 3.8 kWh.

Hopefully the module will be available soon, please let us know if you find any updates.

How much will solar city charge for the 7600 inverter? Hopefully they can offer a discount if they replace my current inverter

 

[ohmman]

I'm planning to add to my PV array anyway, and will need a new inverter. I may just keep my existing system as-is and add the Powerwall with the 7600 inverter to the new array. I've got split 400 service, so it comes in as 200/200.

 

[electracity]

Hopefully someone will post a software review soon. I suppose the initial release will be browser based.

 

[techmaven]

I talked to my regional SolarEdge sales rep... the StorEdge stuff is very new and the SE7600 is the first to be qualified for it. Apparently there will be something with higher end models. He didn't have pricing on the StorEdge module, nor the ancillary required items. One caveat is that this edition only supports a single PowerWall... I expressed that it would make a lot more sense if it supported two PowerWalls, since they are 3.3 kW each and two would fit nicely within the 7.6. In any case, the SE7600 is being installed in non-U.S. locations now and apparently there are some in the U.S., but the widespread availability is expected to be in this summer. It also isn't the newer HD-Wave technology.

It is a bit frustrating that this critical portion is still so, well ill-defined even at this juncture.

 

[electracity]

I talked to my regional SolarEdge sales rep... the StorEdge stuff is very new and the SE7600 is the first to be qualified for it. Apparently there will be something with higher end models. He didn't have pricing on the StorEdge module, nor the ancillary required items. One caveat is that this edition only supports a single PowerWall... I expressed that it would make a lot more sense if it supported two PowerWalls, since they are 3.3 kW each and two would fit nicely within the 7.6. In any case, the SE7600 is being installed in non-U.S. locations now and apparently there are some in the U.S., but the widespread availability is expected to be in this summer. It also isn't the newer HD-Wave technology.

It is a bit frustrating that this critical portion is still so, well ill-defined even at this juncture.

So Musk's Powerwall 2.0 announcements coincides with the expected release of non beta inverters. Probably not a coincidence.

 

[liuping]

I'm probably crazy, but I'd much rather go with the 100kWh Powerpack if I'm going to go through the hassles of setting up another inverter, a sub panel, etc. Adding just a few KWh of battery does not seem worth the overhead cost of setting things up.

Then I could probably go fully grid free, or at least have the option to.

 

[ecarfan]

I'm probably crazy, but I'd much rather go with the 100kWh Powerpack...

Which operates at 440V so not suitable for residential installation, commercial only.

 

[brianman]

This is probably the right thread for it if he's around...

@WK057 - Is your Radeon equipment compatible with powerwall? I have some similar components and figured you might have researched it.