The next time you head down the stairs at Blue Grotto, take a second to look over your right shoulder. Up against the side of our small classroom building, you will see a brand-new bank of ten Tesla Powerwalls. These represent the next step toward our goal of achieving energy independence.
So, what is a Powerwall?
Each Powerwall unit is, in essence, a giant battery. Roughly twice the size of the battery pack found in cars like the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf, each individual Powerwall can store 13.5-kilowatt-hours of energy and continuously output up to 5.8 kilowatts of electricity.
Inside each Powerwall unit are 7,104 18650 lithium-ion batteries. These are the same batteries that most likely power your rechargeable backup light.
Our Powerwall bank is designed to function independently.
- When our solar panel array outputs more energy than we need, the Powerwall bank stores that energy.
- When the bank reaches capacity, it automatically sells the excess to the local power company.
- When our electricity needs exceed what the solar panel array can supply, the Powerwall bank makes up the difference.
Among the coolest features of the Powerwall is that we can monitor and manage the bank using a smartphone app.
Solar made practical
Given a bright, sunny day, the Grotto’s solar array generates a surprising amount of electricity. Enough to meet most or all of our energy needs. But, to do this, it needs sunlight.
Unfortunately, the sun isn’t always shining. We are not just talking about night here. A rainy or cloudy day can severely diminish the array’s output. The Powerwall bank levels the playing field. It provides a constant source of clean energy day or night, regardless of the weather.
More and more homeowners are installing solar. If you are among them, you should look to pair those panels with a Powerwall or one of its alternatives, light the LG Chem Prime. Doing so will help you get the greatest return on your investment in solar. There is a sizeable upfront cost, but it’s one that will pay for itself in energy savings over time.
A greener future
Right now, the combination of our solar array and Powerwall bank is meeting nearly all our energy needs. When we complete the re-wiring of our fill station, we should meet our goal of achieving total energy independence.
Among the most overlooked features of the Grotto is how clean and fresh our north-central Florida air smells. We think it’s worth doing our part to keep it that way. ■