Panasonic has launched a 5.3kWh residential storage battery system into the Australian market which will be marketed by energy companies including Snowy Hydro’s Red Energy and ActewAGL.
Releasing the new storage battery system is the next step following the energy distributors’ battery storage technology pilot project, which included months of testing across local households.
Panasonic’s lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have proven reliable in all Australian conditions, performing well across the country.
“We’re evolving with this new 5.3kWh battery system to support the needs of Australians who have adopted clean solar energy, balancing affordability, capacity and performance and delivering for retailers and consumers alike,” said Panasonic Australia managing director Paul Reid.
The new LJ-SK56A Li-ion system, which will be available from December, has a 10-year warranty, with 5.3kWh usable capacity and 2kW output.
Modelling by Panasonic has shown that battery storage has the potential to reduce household dependence on the electricity grid by between 30% and 60%. The system’s battery storage demand response platform software and DRED interface compliance allows retailers to dispatch charge/discharge programs to address the pressures and network inefficiencies that plague Australia’s energy sector.
Red Energy general manager sales, storage solutions & regulatory affairs Ramy Soussou said the company has closely monitored the original trial of systems installed in Australian homes and been impressed with the performance.
“This offering caters for the energy usage patterns of an average Australian household, and is another step in Red Energy’s search for new solutions and choice for customers in a deregulated and increasingly competitive energy market,” he said.
Key features
Panasonic’s Residential Storage Battery System has 5.3kWh usable capacity and 2kW output, using lithium-ion battery technology to maximise the benefit of residential photovoltaic (PV) energy. It has a slim, stand-alone design and is capable of retro-fit installation to existing residential solar PV systems. For outdoor installation, it is robust, dust and waterproof and IP54 rated.
Demand Response Software allows programmed charge/discharge, remote control charge/discharge and controls and monitors usage through the LJ-NA02 Network Adapter. It aids utilities’ fleet management to meet peak shaving opportunity and improve stability across the distributed energy network. One utility server can control up to 20,000 storage systems and monitor their time of use tariffs and control of demand load.