SunPower has always been known for its top-tier solar panels – now, they’re branching into the storage space. In 2019, the company launched their first home solar battery: the Equinox Storage system. This battery and software solution, when paired with a SunPower Equinox solar panel system, enables you to keep your lights on during power outages and manage your home’s electricity use.
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The Electriq Power PowerPod home battery complete review
Electriq Power is a San Leandro, California-based energy storage company that designs and engineers its storage systems in the United States. Electriq’s flagship product, the PowerPod, includes a battery, hybrid battery/solar inverter, home energy management system, and an energy meter. In addition to offering backup power, the PowerPod System includes a smart home energy software, known as Electriq View, to manage your home’s electricity use and optimize energy efficiency.
Continue readingSaltwater batteries: what you need to know
Lithium-ion batteries dominate the energy storage market with their proven technology and continuously falling costs. Lithium-ion isn’t the only storage technology available, however: saltwater batteries are another option that has been around in some form for years now, and have the potential to impact the energy storage landscape in a big way in the coming years.
Continue readingPika Energy Harbor Smart Battery system: the complete review
Pika Energy is the U.S.-based manufacturer of the Pika Energy Island™ home energy management system. This includes powerful smart batteries, islanding inverters and solar optimizers in one. Notably, Pika Energy partners with Panasonic to produce the Harbor™ smart lithium-ion battery. The Harbor™ is designed to provide extended backup power and maximize your on-site solar energy use.
But how does Harbor Smart Battery measure up against all the other home energy storage options? Read on to learn more about the Pika Energy Harbor Smart Battery’s cost, technology, and warranty coverage.
Continue readingElectriq Power Q&A
Installations of energy storage systems are skyrocketing throughout the country over the last couple of years. In fact, residential installs increased 500 percent from 2017 to 2018! A number of different companies are introducing batteries to help meet this increased demand, creating a crowded field of products to choose from.
In order to help you sift through the numerous options, EnergySage is interviewing storage manufacturers to learn more about their product offerings and company. Recently, we sat down with Electriq Power to discuss the history of the company, what differentiates their primary product for homeowners (the PowerPod), and where they see the energy storage industry evolving in the coming years.
Continue readingBreaking down the consumer demand for batteries in California
Throughout the country, interest in energy storage systems is increasing. In fact, residential energy storage installations increased 500% from 2017 to 2018, according to the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). Nowhere is this more apparent than in California, where energy storage has truly taken off.
Continue readingComparing lithium-ion battery chemistries
Lithium-ion batteries are the most popular products used for solar electricity storage today. Within the umbrella category of lithium-ion batteries, there are several specific chemistries that battery manufacturers employ in their products. These chemistries each have their own advantages and disadvantages, as well as ideal use cases.
Continue readingDoes solar-plus-storage still work during an outage?
Battery storage paired with solar panels is a great way to save money on electricity bills in the long term, especially with new rate plans like time-of-use becoming more prevalent. But does adding a battery mean you’ll be able to produce, store, and use electricity with solar when the grid is down? Do you even need a battery? In this article, we’ll dissect how solar and storage can make for an effective grid resiliency technique.
Continue readingSoleil Lofts’ virtual power plant: what you need to know
In August 2019, the solar and storage industries took a giant leap forward with the introduction of the Soleil Lofts virtual power plant project. The apartment complex, which lies just south of Salt Lake City, Utah, is a unique, first-of-its-kind collaboration between a building developer, an energy storage company, a major utility and a local solar installation company. To learn how the Soleil Lofts project came together, and to get a feel for the lessons learned during the process, EnergySage sat down with Jess Phillips, the CEO and founder of Auric Energy, the solar and energy storage developer responsible for the project.
Continue readingAC vs. DC solar battery coupling: what you need to know
Solar batteries are becoming popular additions to solar energy projects of all scales. When it comes to the way your solar panels, batteries, and inverters are all wired together on your property, there are two main options: alternating current (AC) coupling and direct current (DC) coupling. Both AC and DC coupling have advantages and drawbacks that are dependent on the specifics of your solar plus storage installation.
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