SolarEdge’s latest home solar battery is a big step up from the previous model
SolarEdge is best known for its solar inverters and DC power optimizers, but the company has also ventured into the home battery space, with a steadily growing market shareNow the company is unveiling a new home battery model that has more power, announced at the 2024 RE+ in Anaheim, California.
This new battery includes a powerful new inverter, a flexible, modular design and, the company says, shorter installation and commissioning times. Battery capacity options range from 4.4 to 17.6 kWh and you can install up to four battery systems in one location.
Like the previous model, which was a favorite of ours due to its strong warranty, this new battery system uses SolarEdge’s DC-coupled architecture, which reduces the amount of energy your system loses when converting AC to DC electricity. Pricing and warranty details have yet to be announced, and the battery won’t be available until next year.
Here’s what you need to know about SolarEdge’s new solar battery.
What can you expect from SolarEdge’s new battery?
SolarEdge’s latest battery features a modular design, something the company’s previous battery model lacked. Modular battery designs allow for flexible battery capacity. This means you can choose from a few energy storage capacity options, rather than just one size. Modular designs also support ever-changing energy needs by allowing you to upgrade your energy storage capacity without buying another giant battery.
The battery’s modular design is a bit like building blocks, with small 4.4 kWh modules connecting to a single system and building on each other. You can have up to four 4.4 kWh modules per single battery system, for a total of 17.6 kWh. If you need additional capacity, you can install up to four battery systems per site for a total of 70.6 kWh of energy storage capacity.
SolarEdge’s new battery also gets a major upgrade when it comes to power. The new system includes an 11.5 kW inverter, which is double the power of SolarEdge’s previous battery model and rivals the output of a Tesla Powerwall 3. This new increase in power makes room for even more appliances and parts of your home to get backup during an outage. The entire battery system can support up to three inverters.
SolarEdge’s new battery also promises quick and easy installation. The press release states that the system “is designed to reduce system installation and commissioning processes by up to 50% (to approximately 20-30 minutes).” The battery system is available with or without a solar panel system.
SolarEdge says the new battery system is expected to hit the market in late 2025 and will be manufactured in the US.
What are the benefits of home batteries?
Home batteries can serve as an electric alternative to gas generators. These batteries store energy that can be sent to certain parts of your home during a power outage. To charge, your battery draws power from the grid or from solar panels. If you have solar panels and they generate more electricity than your home uses in a day, the excess power can be stored in a battery and used later, instead of selling it to your utility or going to waste.
You can also use your battery to combat expensive time-of-use rates, which are higher electricity rates that certain utilities charge at specific times of the day when demand for electricity is high. Your home will draw energy from your battery when time-of-use rates are in effect, then recharge it when rates return to normal.
