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    The first Duracell Energy Bank 2 home battery storage installed in Australia

    Around 4 years ago, I wrote about the first Tesla Powerwall installation in Australia. Since then, the market of home battery storage has really expanded in its options. Today we have the details on the first Australian home to install a Duracell Energy Bank 2.

    If you’re tired of blackouts, or just want to power your home at night from the energy collected from your solar panels during the day, a battery is the perfect solution.

    Right now there’s a slew of options to chose from, including:

    Today’s we’re looking at the details of the Duracell Energy Bank 2 battery.

    Available in sizes between 7.2kWh and 14.4kWh, the Duracell solution offers a 10 year warranty, or 6,000 cycles.

    The battery is rated for operation in a thermal envelope of -10 to +50 degrees, which gives you flexibility in where it’s installed in your home. Often batteries are located inside your garage or on a shaded external wall of the home (IP55 rated). The Energy Bank 2 is rated at less than <45dB offering quiet operation.

    Duracell has partnered with Social Energy, an energy retailer specifically targeting solar + battery customers. While I’m currently getting 12c FiT in Victoria with Energy Australia, Social Energy is offering a massive 40c FiT with their energy plans (first 300kWh exported each quarter).

    Social Energy says they are able to do this, thanks to the use of data in their company. They are using Machine Learning, powered by high resolution in-home data, to make accurate predictions (90% confidence) of future energy demands. This data then allows Social Energy to accurately and rapidly manage how electricity is distributed across customers.

    Thanks to more than 5,800 systems in the UK, Social Energy has managed to collect a staggering 1.8 trillion data points, which arrive as a combined 17TB of data. When you’re relying on AI, having a large dataset is critical when teaching the service to learn. Far better than any human, it has a massive historical knowledge to draw from in making inferences about future use. Developed by Oxford-based scientists over 7 years, it’s now here in Australia.

    Through this initiative, Australian households will have access to a world-first energy service that will be able to reduce electricity bills by up to 100%.

    Even those who previously were unable to afford the initial outlay for solar energy are catered for. The offer signifies a new partnership between Australia’s largest battery storage installer Natural Solar (who installed that first Powerwall), and global green energy retailer Social Energy.

    Australian Cricket legend Shane Warne is getting involved, investing in Social Energy.

    “I’m very proud to be involved with Social Energy who are a leader in solar and battery technology. Social Energy is a world leading energy retailer with smart tech that’s changing the game.

    We want to save the customers and household as much money as we possibly can. I believe in it that much that I’m not only promoting Social Energy – I’ve become a shareholder.”

    Shane Warne

    As part of the initiative, Australian households taking part with eligible Duracell Energy Bank 2 models will receive a $500 payment applied as a credit against bills, in addition to their savings made from their solar systems and batteries. Installation costs are more feasible with these potential savings for Australian households.

    A North Balgowlah family of four had been actively seeking to install a solar battery but were previously unable to make the numbers stack up. With their new Duracell Solar battery however, their house is set to make a total savings of $2,506.22 in the first year alone. ($500 from Social Energy and $2006.22 from solar and energy bill savings).

    “The introduction of the Duracell home solar battery to Australia is considered by many in the industry as a key defining moment in the growth of renewables and home battery storage.

    Duracell is an extraordinarily strong and well regarded brand synonymous with quality battery products and one that Australian’s have grown up with and trust as a go to for battery technology. 

    When you consider Duracell, the globally iconic consumer battery company, are partnering up with Social Energy to support this market – that endorsement alone is proof that solar home batteries are integral to the world’s future energy supply and here to stay.

    Social Energy will be ideal for those who already have solar panels on their roof and have previously found it hard to make the numbers stack up to add a battery to their solar system.

    Under this energy model, many households will still be able to receive a credit on their electricity bill while also having the added benefit of backup power in the event of a grid outage.”

    Chris Williams CEO of Natural Solar.

    Social Energy offers customers who purchase and install solar panels and a battery a feed-in tariff of 40 cents per kWh – a tariff not seen in Australia for almost a decade.

    This rate is more than four times the average in New South Wales (7.67c per kWh), South Australia (8.77c per kWh) or Queensland (7.01c per kWh), based upon data from EnergyMadeEasy.

    Customers will receive this market-leading export tariff for the first 300kWh they export each quarter – with a secondary standard feed-in tariff, which is still higher than the average in the region.

    Social Energy will also offer its customers one of the most competitive import tariffs, to ensure that if its customers need to buy electricity from the grid, it remains affordable. Many customers will see their electricity costs drop as low as zero, with some lower-usage customers receiving a pay-out each quarter instead of a bill.

    Head to naturalsolar.com.au to sign up or get more information on at social.energy/australia

    Jason Cartwright
    Jason Cartwrighthttps://techau.com.au/author/jason/
    Creator of techAU, Jason has spent the dozen+ years covering technology in Australia and around the world. Bringing a background in multimedia and passion for technology to the job, Cartwright delivers detailed product reviews, event coverage and industry news on a daily basis. Disclaimer: Tesla Shareholder from 20/01/2021

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