Now here’s something you don’t see every day. Tesla’s Powerwall 3 is headed for SA’s shores nearly two years after its launch, courtesy of SegenSolar. Now that Eskom has revealed that all isn’t as it seems regarding load shedding, a power solution like the Powerwall 3 could prove an effective measure against those power bandits.
“As the country faces ongoing load-shedding and rising energy costs, Tesla Powerwall 3 delivers a smarter, more powerful, and more efficient way to store solar energy, reduce grid dependence, and ensure uninterrupted power,” SegenSolar said.
Nikola’s Powerwall dream
Wondering what the hell a Powerwall is and why there are three of them? Elon Musk’s Tesla first released the Powerwall in 2015 and quickly followed it up with the Powerwall 2 in 2017. These, and the Powerwall 3, are batteries designed to store excess energy either sucked up by the Sun, or taken from the grid directly.
The Powerwall 3 delivers more than double the energy output than its predecessor (11kW), allowing a wider range of devices to be powered throughout your home. The Powerwall 3 sits in a garage or some similar out-of-the-way position, and if necessary, can be expanded to two, three, or even four batteries – each featuring a battery capacity of 13.5kWh.
For a home that isn’t relying on Bitcoin as a source of income, one should be plenty for the average South African.
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The battery features a reliable 5kW charge rate, though it excels with “up to” 20kW solar input rates. This, and the Powerwall’s outputs can be tracked and managed through the Tesla app on your smartphone. And, should you live in KZN or some other too-often wet place, the Powerwall 3 can survive a dip in up to 60cm of water. It’ll even brace -20 to 50°C weather and walk away without a scratch.
“Tesla Powerwall 3 is now available for pre-order through Segen South Africa or your local Solar Installer, with limited stock allocated for early adopters,” SegenSolar said, though it failed to provide prices for the inverter, asking users to first apply to be a Tesla Certified Installer. According to Cleantechnica, the Powerwall 3 is also available from Rubicon South Africa, and sells for R140,000 (excluding VAT).
