The response to the new Enphase Power Storage System has been incredible! We knew that an interest in battery storage was going to explode this year, but we have seen an even greater demand than what we expected. In fact, Enphase has just announced that they will be doubling production in Australia.
Australian households are well suited for battery storage due to our high cost of electricity, low feed-in tariffs for solar power sold back to the grid, a high penetration of solar power systems and a strong environmental movement away from coal and gas:
“I didn’t expect (demand) it to be as aggressive as it was,” Enphase Energy’s Asia Pacific head Nathan Dunn said in an interview with RenewEconomy in May. “I thought the numbers we had targeted would be an aggressive target, but demand is well above expectations.”
So why is the Enphase Storage Solution in particular so popular?
Enphase batteries come as a part of an “energy solution”, and the key feature is the Enphase software rather than the hardware of the batteries. The Enphase software is revolutionary – it can manage the battery’s performance, set algorithms to deal with various electricity tariffs, facilitate home automation and adapt to household consumption patterns.
The Enphase Energy Management System is unlike anything else currently available because of its compatibility. Enphase Batteries are connected directly to the meter board, where we install a control hub that manages power consumption and storage in the home. This allows the Enphase power storage system to be compatible with any existing solar system. This is in stark contrast to other battery systems that typically connect directly to an expensive hybrid solar inverter and have limited compatibility.
Enphase batteries are smaller than almost any other solution on the market with a capacity of 1.2 kWh. This allows households to start with one or two modules to get a feel for how much storage capacity they will need, and due to the plug and play nature of the system, additional capacity will be quick and easy to install.
Enphase batteries can be cycled twice a day, effectively doubling your storage capacity. A typical set-up will be to charge the batteries off excess solar power during the day to be used in the evening and then charged a second time overnight during the off-peak billing period to be used in the morning. If the system is sized-up accurately and a household manages their power usage properly it will be possible to run a home almost entirely off solar power, with the grid used as a backup when needed.
Who are buying Enphase Batteries
Approximately 80% of Enphase solar customers have expressed an interest in buying the power storage solution at some point in the future, but at this early stage investing in batteries is not for everyone.
Primarily battery storage is about energy independence. It is a move away from a power grid that relies heavily on coal and gas, and it is a hedge against rising power prices. For many households with digital meters, tariffs between 2 pm and 8 pm are now up over 50 cents a kWh, and average electricity prices have risen more than 100% in Sydney between 2003 and 2013.
For many people, buying storage is a powerful vote for renewable energy. By leading this revolution, the early adopters of storage technology are growing a movement that is predicted to be a ‘multi-billion dollar industry by 2020. It is now evident that the renewable energy revolution will be powered by the people and this next phase of solar and storage uptake will be the most important yet.
Battery storage will also benefit a number of households that have their solar bonus scheme finishing up this year. These Gross systems are feeding power directly to the grid and are getting paid up to 66 cents a kWh, so there is no emphasis on using solar power in the home across the day as it is generated. For households that are converting to a nett system and are not home during the day, it will make sense to store this solar power to use it at night, rather than send it out to the grid to get paid a measly feed-in tariff of around 6 cents a kWh.
Enphase power storage is about energy independence and doing your bit for Australia’s clean energy future. For those jumping in early, you can take pride in leading this revolution, and you can rest assured that you are buying the best technology available that is both future-proof, updateable, expandable and most importantly it is safe. The Enphase system is about taking power back from big business, it is about a greener future and yes, it is also about lower power bills.
Please get in touch with the Solaray Team if you have any questions. We currently have introductory specials running on storage packages and on individual batteries:
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