NEWS

• Tesla’s latest premium all-in-one energy storage system, the Powerwall 3, has been launched in South Africa.
• The Tesla Powerwall 3 distributor in South Africa has estimated the average homeowner can save up to R29,351 annually by combining Powerwall 3 with solar energy.

Tesla’s latest premium all-in-one energy storage system, the Powerwall 3, has been launched in South Africa. First rolled out in the US in September 2023, the latest model has sold over 850,000 units worldwide.

The Powerwall 3 features more than twice the continuous power output capacity of the Powerwall 2 at 11kW versus 5kW. That will enable households to save more on their electricity bills by powering a wider range of appliances, including those with high startup power draws, without tapping into the grid.

A single Powerwall 3 unit is able to power most homes in South Africa and reduce electricity costs by storing excess solar energy produced during the day for use at night or during periods of inclement weather. Using self-consumption mode, South African customers can reduce their reliance on the grid by up to 67 per cent.

That estimate is based on a household with 6kWp of solar panels as well as typical regional consumption and solar production values of approximately 9,965kWh and 7,575kWh, respectively. Households on time-of-use tariffs like Homeflex, which is compulsory for Eskom’s grid-tied customers, can save more using the Time-Based Control feature.

This allows for intelligently timed charging of the Powerwall 3 during off-peak periods with lower energy charges and battery discharge during peak periods with high grid charges. The Tesla Powerwall 3 distributor in South Africa has estimated the average homeowner can save up to R29,351 annually by combining Powerwall 3 with solar energy.

The Powerwall 3’s other big upgrade over its predecessors is an integrated 12kW solar inverter. The integration improves solar-to-home energy efficiency to 97.5 per cent and reduces installation complexity by eliminating the need for extra wall boxes and a third-party inverter.

Powerwall 3 also boasts a Storm Watch feature that can prepare homes for outages based on severe weather predictions.