PowerWall technical discussion

[macpacheco]

Here in Brazil our grid tie legislation requires us to have a separate circuit to send 100% of our generation to the grid, with a separate meter, and then consume as needed.
Brazil has a nasty state specific electricity/telecom VAT that ranges from 24 to 32%, and in the vast majority of states we must pay VAT even over 100% of what we produce and consume. We're also forbidden from getting refunds from what we overproduce, best case we get credits that we must use in 24 months.
But setups isolated from the grid are acceptable.
So it seems if one could run his house as an off grid system, with the ability to draw from the grid eventually, but never sell to the grid, saving 25% might pay for the Powerwall by itself.
It such a system possible ? Since the powewal is strictly DC, this would be mostly up to the inverter.

PS: And you guys complain about taxes... Our national average total taxation is over 40% and we don't get quality anything from govt... Just saying. I'm not inviting a political/national discussion.

 

[SageBrush]

Presumably. There are several other product features that may not be essential but would certainly be nice to have. My ideal inverter for backup power would support any combination of Powerwall, solar and a portable generator as power sources during grid failure and would seamlessly connect these to the critical loads in the home with smart load shedding if required. If the available power is greater than the demand and the battery is not fully charged then I would like the excess power to be used to charge Powerwall. This may be a lot to ask for a 1st generation product.

This sounds very close to my wish list too, although you mentioned backup while I want an integrated off-grid island that uses daily PowerWalls, and a PHEV rather than a generator for cloudy days.

 

[Ampster]

.........
So it seems if one could run his house as an off grid system, with the ability to draw from the grid eventually, but never sell to the grid, saving 25% might pay for the Powerwall by itself.
It such a system possible ? Since the powewal is strictly DC, this would be mostly up to the inverter.......

Yes, very possible. Many hybrid inverters ca be programmed to do just that.

 

[lolachampcar]

I would expect the folks at Outback are listening to people like you. I just wish we could hack our way into using MS packs straight from the car (with all that lovely fire protection and nice packaging) as the fixed storage source.

 

[Discoducky]

It has been a while and I'm wondering if there any confirmed installs of Powerwall yet? Residential or otherwise...If so, lots of questions...

 

[Reeler]

It has been a while and I'm wondering if there any confirmed installs of Powerwall yet? Residential or otherwise...If so, lots of questions...

I signed-up on the waiting list on the first day, but have heard nothing from that for my Colorado install. However, some of us won a Powerwall in the referral program and I received a survey asking for details on the home in preparation for an install so I am hopeful.