First test drive of new solarZero home battery

Auckland, 12 September 2018 - The first beta edition of the new breakthrough solarZero home battery was installed today in New Zealand’s first certified Zero Energy House.

This new Kiwi designed and engineered product has been developed by solarcity and Panasonic over the past three years as part of an ambitious plan to make New Zealand’s power 100% renewable and reduce consumers dependence on the grid. The solarZero home battery is a fully a rechargeable lithium-ion battery designed to store energy for load shifting, backup power and self-consumption of solar power.

Andrew Booth, CEO of solarcity says, “Our goal is to fundamentally change the way New Zealand is powered to ensure climate change is our generation’s nuclear free moment. The solarZero home battery is designed to change the entire energy infrastructure of our nation to become zero carbon 17 years faster than the current government’s target.

The use of fossil fuels to power our homes and cars is an environmental disaster and we know the majority of Kiwis want to go solar. The service our new solarZero home battery will deliver will let people power their homes locally from their own roofs, day and night at a price well below what they are currently paying.”

The Zero Energy House, completed in 2012, was the first home in the nation to be certified as net zero. Every year for six years the home has generated at least as much electricity as it has consumed. The aim of the solarZero home battery test drive, which starts today, is to finalise the software and hardware design which will enable homeowners to put an end to rising power and fuel bills once and for all.

Zero Energy House owner Shay Brazier comments, “The main reason we installed solar was to reduce our energy bill and to become more independent. We now have greater control over what we pay for power and can power our home even if there’s a power cut.”

The solarZero home battery unit mounts seamlessly against a wall and is integrated with the local grid to harness excess power and give customers the flexibility to draw energy from their own reserve.

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