Panasonic launches 5.3kWh battery onto Australian residential market

One Step Off The Grid

One of Tesla’s major rivals in the home battery storage stakes, Panasonic, has released its new 5.3kWh system for sale on the Australian residential market – just two weeks after Tesla’s bigger and cheaper Powerwall 2 was launched in the US.

Panasonic’s new LJ-SK56A lithium-ion system, which will be available from December 2016, has a 10-year warranty, with 5.3kWh usable capacity and 2kW output. It has a “slim, stand-alone design” and can be installed outside. Cost of the product has not been disclosed.

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The batteries will be sold through energy companies including ActewAGL and Red Energy, following the success of a Canberra pilot project that tested the lithium-ion batteries in local households.

The solar plus storage trials conducted kicked off in December last year, with the installation of an 8kWh Panasonic battery system alongside a 5.2kW PV array at the home of an ActewAGL employee in Forde.

Panasonic Australia’s Managing Director Paul Reid said the pilot project showed the its batteries had performed well in Australia’s variable and dynamic climate conditions.

Modelling by Panasonic shows their battery storage has the potential to reduce household dependence on the electricity grid by between 30 and 60 per cent.

Energy retailers, meanwhile, can access the batteries via demand response platform software and DRED interface compliance to address peak load pressures and network inefficiencies.

The Demand Response Software allows programmed charge/discharge, remote control charge/discharge and controls and monitors usage, according to Panasonic.

This helps utilities with peak shaving and to improve stability across the network, with one utility server able to control up to 20,000 storage systems and monitor their time-of-use tariffs and control of demand load.

“We’re now evolving with this new 5.3kWh battery system, to support the needs of Australians who have adopted clean solar energy, balancing affordability, capacity and performance and delivering for retailers and consumers alike,” Reid said.

ActewAGL said it had decided to include the new Panasonic battery in its solar product suite on the back of the pilot program’s results.

“For example, our first installation created expected savings of up to 50 per cent on one family’s annual electricity bill,” said ActewAGL general manager retail, Ayesha Razzaq.

“The battery storage industry will continue to grow as an important companion for renewable energy systems and these technologies will increasingly have a positive impact on the ACT’s renewable energy target of 100% by 2020,” she said.

This article was originally published on RE sister site One Step Off The Grid. To sign up for the weekly newsletter, click here.

Comments

10 responses to “Panasonic launches 5.3kWh battery onto Australian residential market”

  1. MorinMoss Avatar
    MorinMoss

    I’ve heard that many Aussies are cheapskates so I guess this’ll sell if it’s much cheaper than the PowerWall 2

    1. Kenshō Avatar
      Kenshō

      Panasonic partner with Tesla on their products. Tesla are a new company and have never made an inverter in their life. I’ve even got a Panasonic microwave with an inverter in it. It gets the AC source, rectifies it, then uses the inverter to generate the optimal AC voltage and frequency for the magnetron. All sorts of electrical gear have inverters. As far as I’m aware, Tesla use Panasonic battery manufacturing technology. I don’t know the history, though I’m guessing Tesla inverters and batteries are built on Panasonic’s track record. Tesla history experts?

      1. Mike Dill Avatar
        Mike Dill

        Well, Tesla has pretty efficient inverters that they make and put in those car things. Pretty high power too. I’m not exactly sure how powerful they are , but Ludicrous mode must surely demand some power.

        1. Kenshō Avatar
          Kenshō

          Ah forgot its got an AC motor. So where did the inverter and battery technology originate?

          1. Mike Dill Avatar
            Mike Dill

            I believe Tesla got some tech from a company called AC propulsion, but quickly discarded it as unusable in a production environment. I think the batteries in the roadster were originally Panasonic 18650’s, and they ended up making their own AC motor and inverter after looking at what was available on the market.

          2. Kenshō Avatar
            Kenshō

            Well I too go where I like the specs and I’d have no problem buying a Panasonic product if it suits my purposes. I look forward to reviewing the specs as soon as I find out where to locate them.

        2. Ruben Avatar
          Ruben

          300 odd kW.

    2. Mike Dill Avatar
      Mike Dill

      With the PW2 being quoted at US$6500 installed, for 14kWh, with inverter, this one should be about US$2300 or less if priced to sell.

    3. Webber Depor Avatar
      Webber Depor

      are you aware that Powerwall is a Panasonic?

      1. MorinMoss Avatar
        MorinMoss

        Panasonic cells, not a Panasonic design

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