Tesla has unveiled a new home battery called Powerwall under the new umbrella of Tesla Energy, which is designed to allow users to be able to be more self-sufficient when it comes to their home energy.
While it will allow users to be a little more self-sufficient, there is some question as to whether or not this technology will actually take off or not. Is this new technology the way of the future?
In reality, the technology will mainly allow users who are already quite self-sufficient when it comes to power to be even more self-sufficient. The battery essentially allows users with solar panels and/or wind turbines to be able to save up their power for when they need it. For example, those with solar panels can charge the battery to be used at night. This is great for these people and should drastically cut down on how much energy they need from main power grids.
That's not to say that the battery is completely useless for those who don't have solar panels or wind turbines. It will allow users to charge their batteries through power mains at night, when energy is less in demand and therefore a little cheaper. What this means is that it will be less about green energy and more about saving a few bucks. While this isn't a bad thing, it's not the "energy of the future" as many envision it. Another use for the battery would be as a means of backup power for those in areas with power outages.
Not only that, but it's also important to remember that the Powerwall gives users a DC current. In order to power household items, which run on an AC current, users will need to buy a power converter.
It is, however, a little unfair to say that this isn't the "power of the future." Transitioning to renewable energy is a process that involves everyone, from the large energy companies down to the individual. Installation of solar panels is something that will happen more and more over the next decade, and it is expected that, within the next 15 years, the world will be run on clean energy. One of the main problems with solar panels is that we don't yet know how to effectively store the energy from them. Tesla's Powerwall solves this problem, at least to an extent.
Is the Powerwall the "energy of the future?" No, but it's certainly an important piece of the puzzle.
