Europe’s Sonnen launches battery storage product into Australia

Leading European battery storage developer Sonnen has announced it will soon launch its Sonnenbatterie product in Australia, joining a host of international and local brand names, including Tesla, LG, Enphase, Panasonic, Samsung, Redflow and Ecoult in tapping into the first big domestic battery storage market in the world.

The German-based Sonnen, which makes lithium-ion battery storage systems, says it will partner with True Value Solar – the biggest installer in Australia – to offer an all-in-one system of rooftop solar panels and the SonnenBatterie.

It also expects to introduce peer-to-peer trading, meaning that households with battery storage will be able to trade energy with neighbours. It has already introduced such a product into Europe.

Sonnen says it expects to expand its number of installer partnerships in Australia. Its modular battery storage systems will allow consumers to choose sizes raging from 2kWh to 16kWh

In comparison to most other suppliers it integrates the battery modules, the inverter, a smart energy manager and the measurement and communication technology in one package, making it easy to install and being very space- efficient. sonnen expects to expand its number of installer partnerships in Australia.

It expects the optimum size for the average household would be 8-10kWh. It says a system of this capacity can save several hundreds of dollars a year in power costs.

“Australians are excited about the opportunities for self-consumption and energy storage right now,” Sonnen chief marketing office Philipp Schroder said in a statement. “With our sonnenBatterie we can offer them a real choice of becoming independent and using clean power for an affordable price.”

Sonnen says its smart controls, via a “self-learning algorithm” and data from the weather bureau pcan identify the best time to start charging and, even with no- one at home, can activate appliances like washing machines.

Sonnen began selling battery storage systems in Germany, and has sold more than 10,000 systems to date. It plans to play on its “premium”, made-in-Germany branding.

“It has an outstanding ‘Made in Germany’ quality that ensures that a household’s investment in becoming independent of expensive grid power is sustainable and safe,” said Chris Parratt, the company’s country director in Australia, in a statement.

The company says the composition of the lithium-ion-phosphate battery gives it a long life in terms of its competitors, with 10,000 charge and expend cycles.