Just weeks after a prominent US lead-acid battery firm announced it was moving into lithium-ion, a UK start-up is heading in the same direction with its second-generation energy storage system.
Powervault’s new home energy storage range will be lithium-ion capable a little more than a year since it brought to market its lead-acid version.
The 2-6kWh systems will be ready for market later this year at a undiclosed price, so time will tell if the deveices can compete with Tesla, Panasonic and the other similar eresidential energy storage systems on the market already.
One of the key highlights of the latest ESS is that they will use second-life lithium-ion batteries from Nissan’s Leaf electric vehicles.
The question now is whether homeowners will prefer a smaller, longer lasting, but ultimately more expensive, ESS.
It’s a question Powervault is unable to answer, instead it’s got feet in both camps by ensuring the lead-acid version can be upgraded to lithium-ion in the future.
A spokesman for the company told BBB that lead-acid batteries were still the most affordable product on market and offered the best paybacks, despite the shorter life-span.
Powervault managing director Joe Warren said: “We expect energy storage systems will soon be of interest to every home in the country and we aim to sell 50,000 units by 2020 and become a household name.
“Ultimately we believe that a Powervault in the home will be as common as a dishwasher.”
But the people at Powervault aren’t the only ones gambling on residential ESSs gaining popularity, with other firms, namely Tesla and Pansonic, bringing their lithium-ion products to market.
