Electriq Power is a San Leandro, California-based energy storage company that designs and engineers its storage systems in the United States. Electriq’s original product, the PowerPod 1, includes a battery, hybrid battery/solar inverter, home energy management system, and an energy meter. Their newest product, the PowerPod 2, has a different chemistry and upgraded technical specifications that build on their already impressive storage system.
Key takeaways
- The Electriq PowerPod 2 costs between $9,799 and $19,999 before installation.
- You may need several PowerPod 2 batteries to truly go “off the grid”.
- A qualified EnergySage-approved installer can give you the best information about the Blue Ion home battery system and other energy storage options available to homeowners today.
How does the Electriq PowerPod 2 work?
The Electriq PowerPod 2 pairs well with solar panel systems, especially if your utility has reduced or removed net metering, introduced time-of-use rates, or instituted demand charges for residential electricity consumers. Installing a storage solution like the PowerPod 2 with a solar energy system allows you to maintain a sustained power supply during both day and night, as long as you store enough power from your solar panels when the sun is shining.
As with many other home battery products, the Electriq PowerPod 2 is sized for day-to-day use at your home and is primarily designed to be paired with a solar panel system. When your solar panels produce more electricity than you can use in your home, you can store the excess electricity in the battery system instead of sending it back into the grid. Later, when your panels aren’t producing enough electricity to meet your home’s needs, you can use the stored energy in your battery instead of having to buy it from your utility company.
Key things to know about the Electriq PowerPod 2
The PowerPod 2 is an improved version of the PowerPod 1, in large part due to its different battery chemistry. The PowerPod 2 is a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery (as opposed to the traditional Lithium-Ion NMC technology the PowerPod 1 used), which offers longer life, improved reliability, and increased safety. Additionally, Electriq says that it spent equal time focusing on upgrading the software side of things – the PowerPod 2 comes with an always-connected LTE and Wi-Fi-enabled hub. Communications are powered directly by the battery, so it will not shut down when the grid is non-operational.
With their PowerPod 2 software and a solar plus storage system, you can view real-time energy usage and solar electricity generation on Electriq’s companion app and website (known as Electriq View). You can also use their app to manually change the mode your battery operates in – from self-supply to backup power to maximum cost savings.
When evaluating the PowerPod 2, there are various important metrics and technical specifications to keep in mind. Among the most important are the size of the battery (power and capacity), its depth of discharge, and roundtrip efficiency.
Size
The Electriq PowerPod 2 (PP2 for short) comes in three different DC-coupled models: the PP2 10, 15, and 20. As of March 2021, these models can all come as AC-coupled as well. All PowerPod 2 models are modular, meaning they can be stacked together to create even larger, more powerful battery systems.
Two important metrics to keep in mind when comparing the PowerPod 2 to other home storage options are power and usable capacity. Power (measured in kilowatts, or kW) determines the maximum amount of electricity that can be output at a single time, while usable capacity (measured in kilowatt-hours, or kWh) is a measure of the maximum amount of electricity stored in your battery on a full charge. The largest PowerPod 2 20 boasts a maximum power rating of 7.6 kW to go along with 20 kWh of usable capacity. The smallest PowerPod 2 model, the 10, also offers 7.6 kW of power and 10 kWh of usable capacity.
Think of your battery like water running through a pipe. The usable energy capacity is the amount of water available to push through the pipe, while power is the size of the pipe itself. Larger pipes allow more water to flow through at once, which depletes the water faster. Similarly, a battery with a high power rating can deliver more electricity at one time, but will burn through its stored energy faster too.
A battery’s power determines the number of appliances you can run from the battery concurrently, while usable capacity determines how long those appliances can be run. Batteries with a higher power rating are capable of powering more, bigger appliances (i.e., your HVAC system) or many appliances at once, while batteries with a higher usable capacity can store more total energy and thus can run your appliances for longer periods of time without needing to recharge.
Basic functionality
The functionality of one solar battery next to another can vary; some batteries have excellent off-grid capabilities, while others offer software solutions specific to rate arbitrage. The suite of PowerPod 2 products are designed to provide both of these services.
Performance metrics
Two key ways to evaluate the performance of a solar battery are its roundtrip efficiency and depth of discharge.
Roundtrip efficiency is a measure of electrical losses involved with charging and discharging a battery. The higher the efficiency percentage, the more efficiently the battery is able to convert incoming electricity into stored electricity and then back into usable electricity. The Electriq PowerPod 2 has a roundtrip efficiency of 96.6 percent; this means that for every 10 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity you put into the battery, you’ll receive a little more than 9.6 kWh of output.
Depth of discharge (DoD) indicates the percentage of a battery’s energy that has been discharged relative to the overall capacity of the battery. Because the useful life of a battery decreases each time you charge, discharge, and re-charge–or cycle–your battery, many battery manufacturers specify a maximum DoD level for optimal battery performance. In general, batteries with a higher depth of discharge are considered better quality products. Unfortunately, the Electriq PowerPod 2 doesn’t list a depth of discharge on its spec sheet.
Electriq PowerPod 2 warranty coverage
Electriq PowerPod 2 warranties
- Warranty period: 10 years
- Guaranteed end of warranty capacity: 70%
- Check out this article for our in depth review of the Electriq PowerPod warranty
The PowerPod 2 battery line is backed by 10-year product and performance warranties that cover the product in the case of faulty parts or defects, as well as the actual performance of the battery. Electriq’s warranty coverage says that by the end of 10 years, your PowerPod 2 will still be able to store at least 70 percent of its initial out-of-box capacity.
Importantly, Electriq’s battery technology is similar to other rechargeable batteries both large and small: as time goes on, the battery loses some of its ability to hold a charge. Think of how the battery life of a brand-new smartphone compares to one that is a few years old. As you continually charge and drain your phone’s battery, it starts to lose some of its ability to hold a charge.
If you want to compare individual battery models side-by-side, our battery Buyer’s Guide lets you select products and compare them based on efficiency, capacity, power, and more.
How much does the Electriq PowerPod 2 cost?
The cost of installing a battery isn’t as straightforward as looking up the list price for an individual component–i.e., your battery. In fact, depending on your electrical setup, installation costs can vary widely. While there isn’t exact pricing for the PowerPod 2 available online, the PowerPod 1 starts $9,799 before installation, and goes up to $19,999 for the largest size. We can somewhat safely assume that the PowerPod 2 will cost that much, but with the variety of sizes available, it’s a little bit unclear – it may even cost less!
If you want to install the PowerPod 2 as part of a solar-plus-storage system, battery costs are just one piece of the equation. A 5 kilowatt (kW) solar energy system costs anywhere from $9,000 to $15,000 depending on where you live and the type of equipment you choose.
That may sound like a lot of money, but installing a solar-plus-storage system can be a worthwhile investment. Whether or not the Electriq PowerPod 2 makes sense for you is determined by the way that your electric utility structures its rates, as well as your reasons for installing a solar battery.
In some cases, depending on where you live, you may have access to financial incentives that can reduce your home energy storage installation costs. For instance, if you live in California, you could get a cash rebate that covers most of your home battery costs through the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP). Other states (such as Massachusetts) are in the early stages of evaluating battery storage performance incentives as well, and several states already provide cash rebates.
Can you go off-grid with the Electriq PowerPod 2?
Installing a solar-plus-storage system at your home is a great way to take control of your electricity bill, but it doesn’t mean that you’re completely disconnected from your utility. Going “off the grid” with solar batteries is actually a more expensive and complicated proposition than you might think. Most home batteries, including the PowerPod 2, only have enough capacity to store a few hours of electricity. If you want to make sure you can maintain power to your property for days at a time, you’ll need to install several PowerPod 2 batteries together to increase your storage capabilities.
Where to buy the Electriq PowerPod 2
You can request a quote for an Electriq PowerPod 2 directly through Electriq’s website, or from local solar installers and/or installation companies that carry the PowerPod 2. Adding energy storage technology to your home is a complicated process that needs electrical expertise, certifications, and knowledge of the best practices required to install a solar-plus-storage system correctly.
A qualified EnergySage-approved company can give you the best recommendation about the PowerPod 2 home battery system and other energy storage options available to homeowners today. If you are interested in receiving competing installation quotes for solar and energy storage options from local installers near you, simply join the EnergySage Solar Marketplace today and indicate what products you’re interested in your profile’s preferences section.
