Tesla CEO Elon Musk is speaking with Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello about using the company's battery options to restore power to the storm-ridden island.
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Tesla is sending hundreds of Powerwall batteries to Puerto Rico — here's how the rechargeable battery works (TSLA)
Tesla is sending hundreds of Powerwall batteries to Puerto Rico to help residents regain power. Here's how the Powerwall works.
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Tesla has already sent hundreds of Powerwall batteries to Puerto Rico to help residents keep the lights on in their homes. Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm, knocked out Puerto Rico's electrical grid, and the island's 3.5 million residents may not get power again for another six months.
The Powerwall could help residents in the interim by helping owners stay disconnected from the grid until repairs are made.
Here's how the Powerwall works:
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Tesla's Powerwall is a lithium-ion battery that can be mounted on the wall or floor of a home. Panasonic makes the cells for the Powerwall, while Tesla builds the battery module and pack.
The Powerwall can store energy generated by solar panels during the day to use later in the evening. It can also serve as a backup power supply in case there's an outage.
The battery can also draw electricity from the utility grid when rates are low and store it for later use.
The Powerwall is flat and rectangular. It's 269 pounds and 6.1 inches deep.
For comparison, Tesla's first-generation Powerwall was 200 pounds and 7.1 inches deep.
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The Powerwall comes with an inverter, making it easier to install. The inverter is critical because it converts the electricity generated from the solar panels into an alternating current...
...Which is then sent to a home's electrical panel to provide power.
Tesla's Powerwall costs $6,200 and can store 14 kilowatt-hours of energy. For reference, the average electricity consumption for a residential customer in 2015 was 901 kWh a month.
Source:
One battery can provide 5 kW of continuous power and improve to 7 kW at its peak.
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"You can actually, if you want, go completely off-grid," Musk said during the Powerwall's unveiling in 2015. "You can take your solar panels, charge the battery packs, and that's all you use."
It's important to note that the Powerwall still relies on the electrical grid for periods of high demand. But it can operate independently by just running on solar power. That means Puerto Ricans could use the Powerwall to fulfill their basic electric needs until grid repairs are made.
The Powerwall can only be set up by a certified installer. The installations cost between $800 and $2,000.
Some third-party installers have been charging excessive premiums in Puerto Rico. Musk said the company will stop shipping units to installers who are ramping up costs — a Powerwall shouldn't cost more than $8,200 to purchase and install.
Tesla is also working on sending more experienced installers to Puerto Rico to help train locals.
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