Panasonic Evervolt Residence Battery Overview: A Modular and Highly effective Method Leave a comment

Putting in a photo voltaic battery along with your photo voltaic panels may help you maintain issues working when the facility goes out. However discovering the suitable photo voltaic battery in your dwelling might be tough. For those who’re on the lookout for energy and adaptability, Panasonic’s new dwelling battery may be price wanting into.

The Evervolt Residence Battery was introduced again in June and is about to launch later this 12 months. The Evervolt system combines a modular battery design with a strong hybrid inverter. Vitality wants fluctuate from home to accommodate, making discovering the suitable battery in your particular wants a problem. Among the best issues the Evervolt has going for it’s flexibility for quite a lot of vitality wants and makes use of. 

“All people’s wants are totally different. A few of the homes are large, some are small. Some need extra energy for air-con or working different heavier masses. So we now have flexibility for no matter they’ll get or need, and cargo administration capability,” Mukesh Sethi, director of photo voltaic and vitality storage at Panasonic, advised CNET.

We didn’t conduct any hands-on testing for this overview. Photo voltaic batteries are a part of a fancy dwelling vitality system that varies between properties. As an alternative, this overview relies on publicly obtainable info on-line from Panasonic and an interview with Sethi to get probably the most up-to-date info doable. 

Here is what you must know in regards to the Panasonic Evervolt Residence Battery. 

What do you get with the Panasonic Evervolt Residence Battery?

The Evervolt Residence Battery affords a modular design, making capability choice and upgrades simpler. Smaller battery modules additionally are inclined to make for a neater set up course of. You may additionally get a hybrid inverter with a stable 7.6 kilowatts of steady backup energy. However the true fantastic thing about the hybrid inverter lies within the set up choices it offers you. 

With a hybrid inverter, your battery can both be AC-coupled or DC-coupled, that means it is appropriate with a brand new photo voltaic panel system or a photo voltaic system that you have already got put in on your private home. Don’t desire photo voltaic panels? That is fantastic. The Evervolt Residence Battery will also be put in as a standalone vitality storage system with out photo voltaic. 

Listed below are the Panasonic Evervolt Residence Battery’s specs at a look.

Evervolt Residence Battery specs

Class	Description
Usable capability	9 kWh, 13.5 kWh or 18 kWh
What number of models can I stack?	As much as 4 models, for a complete of 72 kWh
Spherical-trip effectivity	89% (AC-coupled) / 94% (DC-coupled)
Depth of discharge	90%
Steady energy output (off-grid with photo voltaic)	7.6 kW
Battery chemistry	Lithium ferrite phosphate
AC- or DC-coupled?	Choices for each
Guarantee	12 years (labor included)

System parts

There are 4 essential parts that make up the Evervolt ecosystem:

• Battery cupboard.
• Battery modules.
• Hybrid inverter.
• Evervolt SmartBox.

It could sound like rather a lot, however you will solely have two packing containers on the wall: the precise battery enclosure and the Evervolt SmartBox. The battery cupboard is a big enclosure that homes the battery modules, that are small lithium-ion batteries that may be added or faraway from the battery cupboard to extend or lower storage capability. As an alternative of 1 big battery, you might have a number of small batteries that join collectively to incrementally improve storage capability. 

The Evervolt comes with a hybrid inverter, that means the system might be AC- or DC-coupled. A DC-coupled system gives you higher efficiency and effectivity. This setup works greatest should you’re putting in photo voltaic and storage on the identical time. You additionally will not have to purchase a separate photo voltaic inverter, which generally prices round $2,000 or extra.

Any individual who’s getting photo voltaic and storage on the identical time can fully keep away from the PV inverter and save some huge cash. One inverter does all the things, Sethi mentioned

If you have already got photo voltaic put in, you possibly can nonetheless set up the Evervolt. You may simply be going with an AC-coupled system as a substitute of DC. Your battery’s efficiency will not be pretty much as good as a DC-coupled setup, however the lack of effectivity isn’t a complete dealbreaker. 

If in case you have a number of Evervolt batteries, you possibly can even have an AC-coupled system and a DC-coupled system on the identical time. 

There’s additionally the Evervolt SmartBox. That is primarily an vitality administration gadget that gives a centralized place for all of your wiring, connecting the battery, photo voltaic panel system and grid energy multi function field. You’ll management as much as six electrical masses. The SmartBox additionally incorporates the switch swap, which flips your system to backup energy when it detects a grid outage. 

Capability and modularity

The Evervolt Residence Battery is a modular system made up of some small 4.5 kWh battery modules which can be positioned into the battery cupboard. Capability might be elevated by including battery modules. Modular battery designs make it straightforward to measurement your system to one thing that is “excellent” in your vitality wants. 

The Evervolt’s battery cupboard holds two, three or 4 battery modules. Every battery module has a usable capability of 4.5 kWh. This offers you three sizes to select from: 9 kWh, 13.5 kWh or 18 kWh. If 18 kWh is not sufficient vitality storage, you possibly can set up as much as 4 extra models for a complete of 72 kWh of space for storing.

Capability breakdown

Variety of modules	Usable storage capability
2	9 kWh
3	13.5 kWh
4	18 kWh

Efficiency and effectivity 

The efficiency specs you get with the Evervolt are fairly stable. What stands out most in regards to the Evervolt’s efficiency is its wonderful energy capabilities. The Evervolt can output 7.6 kW of steady backup energy at any capability measurement when put in with photo voltaic. If put in with out photo voltaic, you will get much less backup energy with the 9 kWh Evervolt mannequin (5.5 kW).

Battery capability is usually a little bit tough. You sometimes aren’t ready to make use of all of a battery’s capability with out shortening the lifespan of the battery. The quantity of your battery’s capability that you should utilize safely known as its depth of discharge, and plenty of we have seen have figures of at the very least 95%. The Evervolt’s depth of discharge is a little bit bit decrease, at 90%, that means you will not be capable to use as a lot of its whole capability. The figures we have used listed here are the battery’s usable capability, that means we aren’t factoring in that 10% of unusable capability.

We additionally want to speak about round-trip effectivity, which is a measure of how a lot vitality makes it into battery storage with out getting misplaced. How environment friendly this battery goes to be depends on the coupling setup you might have. DC-coupled techniques are usually extra environment friendly, and the Evervolt isn’t any exception. When DC-coupled the Evervolt has a round-trip effectivity of 94% — fairly good. As an AC-coupled system, the Evervolt’s effectivity is far decrease (89%), which is consistent with the everyday round-trip effectivity of dwelling batteries (about 90%).

Efficiency and effectivity particulars

Class	Description
Spherical-trip effectivity	89% (AC-coupled) / 94% (DC-coupled)
Depth of discharge	90%
Steady energy output (off-grid with photo voltaic)	7.6 kW

Guarantee

Batteries are sometimes coated beneath a 10-year guarantee, with a cycle lifetime of 6,000 cycles and an end-of-warranty capability assure of 70%. The Evervolt’s guarantee is a bit higher than the common. It comes with a 12-year guarantee, however its cycle life and capability assure is the common described above, in keeping with the spec sheet. That is not essentially a foul factor although. Every Evervolt battery module has an approximate vitality throughput of 13 MWh, which is greater than different particular person battery modules we have seen. 

The Evervolt’s 12-year guarantee applies to your entire system too, so the SmartBox and inverter are coated too. Sethi mentioned labor is included within the guarantee as effectively, which is uncommon with regards to battery warranties.

Guarantee particulars

Years coated	Cycles life / throughput	Capability assure
12	6,000 cycles / 13 MWh per battery module	70%

Years coated: The size of time your battery is roofed beneath guarantee. 

Cycle life and throughput: Most battery warranties cowl a certain quantity of battery cycles. That is additionally typically known as a battery’s cycle life. A battery cycle is the act of draining and recharging your battery. Usually, as soon as your battery hits the cycle rely listed within the guarantee, your guarantee expires. Alternatively, you will additionally come throughout throughput. That is the anticipated quantity of vitality {that a} battery will ship throughout its lifetime, set by the producer. It is sometimes measured in megawatt hours.

Finish-of-warranty capability assure: Battery capability retention decreases the extra you employ it. A capability assure is the producer’s assure that your battery will retain as much as a sure proportion of its authentic capability by the point your guarantee ends. 

Buyer assist

The Evervolt Residence Battery hasn’t been launched to the general public as of proper now. However buyer opinions relating to assist for Panasonic’s family merchandise might be an indicator of what sort of service you would possibly expertise sooner or later. 

Prospects on Panasonic’s Higher Enterprise Bureau and Trustpilot pages had been unhappy with the standard of Panasonic’s merchandise and buyer assist. Some prospects making an attempt to get assist from Panasonic’s assist quantity or stay chat could not appear to get a response, whereas different prospects submitted emails, however by no means obtained a response.

“Panasonic is dedicated to serving to extra householders make the swap to dependable clear vitality and residential vitality storage,” Sethi mentioned in an announcement. “As considered one of America’s most trusted manufacturers, Panasonic addresses every photo voltaic buyer’s service inquiry individually and stands behind our dwelling batteries with a 12-year guarantee when put in by a certified installer.”

How a lot does the Panasonic Evervolt Residence Battery value?

The Evervolt Residence Battery has not hit the market but, so pricing particulars are nonetheless unclear. However Panasonic advised us that the price of the Evervolt Residence Battery System is aggressive with comparable merchandise. 

In the case of battery pricing, you possibly can usually count on to pay someplace between $1,000 to $2,000 per kilowatt-hour of storage. You may doubtless additionally pay between $2,000 to $3,000 for the set up of the battery. 

To get probably the most correct worth estimate in your dwelling, you will want to talk with a Panasonic-certified installer in your space after the battery’s official launch. Or communicate with a Panasonic consultant. You may also wish to discover a number of battery choices from varied installers in your native space. 

Is the Panasonic Evervolt Residence Battery my most suitable option?

Batteries aren’t a one-size-fits-all kind of product. One of the best battery in your house is one which meets your vitality wants and funds. If energy, modularity and an extended guarantee matter to you, then the Evervolt Residence Battery is a stable selection. The Evervolt additionally works with quite a lot of setups. It is appropriate with new and present photo voltaic techniques, or you could possibly set up it with out photo voltaic panels. 

However bear in mind, you might have extra choices than simply the Evervolt. There are a ton of different battery choices available on the market that may be proper in your dwelling. And most installers are licensed to put in a number of battery manufacturers. Discover battery choices from a number of installers in your space earlier than finalizing your determination. We additionally suggest gathering at the very least three quotes from installers in your space to get the most effective worth doable.

Panasonic Evervolt Residence Battery vs. different batteries

Class	Panasonic Evervolt Residence Battery	Tesla Powerwall 2	LGES 16H Prime	SolarEdge Residence Battery	SunPower SunVault	Enphase IQ Battery 10/10T
Usable capability	9 kWh – 18 kWh	13.5 kWh	16 kWh	9.7 kWh	13.5 kWh – 19.5 kWh	10.08 kWh
What number of can I set up?	As much as 4 models	As much as 10 models	As much as 2 models	As much as 3 models	As much as 1 extra unit	Varies
Spherical-trip effectivity	89% (AC) / 94% (DC)	90%	90%	94.50%	86%	89%
Depth of discharge	90%	100%	100%	100%	92%	98%
Steady energy output	7.6 kW	5 kW	7 kW	5 kW	6.8 kW	3.84 kW
AC- or DC-coupled?	Choices for each	AC	AC	DC	AC	AC
Worth	N/A	$9,000 – $13,000	$7,000 – $11,000	$5,500 – $8,000	$16,000 – $20,000 (consists of set up)	$8,000 – $10,000

How we evaluated the most effective photo voltaic batteries 

Every battery is totally different and is not going to be the suitable match for each dwelling. With out an on-site inspection, it is tough to find out which photo voltaic battery is the “greatest” battery. Due to the complexity of photo voltaic panel techniques, we aren’t capable of do any sort of hands-on testing of any of the photo voltaic batteries we overview. Nevertheless, there are goal methods to guage and evaluate these batteries. Here is how we consider photo voltaic batteries.

First, we created classes to guage the battery’s effectivity, efficiency, capability and worth. We additionally gave every class its personal weight. Every class’s weight displays the significance we felt was related to the common client. Listed below are the classes and their weights:

• Battery modularity (stackability): 20%
• Guarantee: 20%
• Spherical-trip effectivity: 15%
• Depth of discharge: 10%
• Energy output: 10%
• Worth: 10%
• Buyer opinions: 10%
• Battery capability: 5%

We checked out greater than 15 of the most typical batteries available on the market and picked up the information for every class to match the numbers. Every battery was given a tier-style ranking (from 1 to five) for every class to see which metrics of every battery had been above common (amongst these on our listing), common or under common.

Panasonic Evervolt Residence Battery FAQs