Tesla competitor Sonnenbatterie unveils community solar-storage system
German battery maker Sonnebatterie is giving Tesla Motors a run for its money in the residential storage market.
The Bavarian company says sonnenCommunity connects all energy producers and users in a region, allowing them to provide one another with renewable energy. The system not only stores electricity, but allows users to sell electricity to other members of the community.
The system consists primarily of residential photovoltaic panels, a sonnenBatterie that stores surplus power, and a system controller.
“This model of sharing electricity makes conventional utilities in Germany obsolete,” said Philipp Schröder, Sonnenatterie’s managing director.
At 3,599 euros ($3,830), a Sonnen 2-kWh battery and control system is below the 3,035 euro ($3,234) price of a 7-kWh Tesla Powerwall battery in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Sonnen introduced program that provides a 1,875 euro ($1,995) discount for customers who join a new community energy exchange program it unveiled at the same time it introduced sonnenCommunity.
