German-engineered competition is entering the home-based battery storage market.
The exciting development is coming from Energiekonzepte Deutschland. And the company touts its Ampere.StoragePro as a power pack that "sets new standards," according to a story by Interesting Engineering.
A quick skim of the product's specifications page makes it easy to see why.
Silicon carbide components, borrowed from the sports car sector, make the battery 20% more efficient. The unit can be charged and discharged 12,000 times.
What's more, it can provide 100% of its storage capacity for at least 10 years — and that's guaranteed by EKD. The unit should have a life span of up to 48 years, double the typical mark.
The company promotes it as a long-term, durable solution that will hold much of its capacity even in those later years, all per IE and EKD.
"A large part of the solar energy that we produce on our roofs is wasted. Because we do not store and control the solar energy well enough," EKD CEO Timo Sillober said in a press release.
Ampere looks similar to products like Tesla's Powerwall, which has made advancements in the market. More than 600,000 have been installed worldwide, according to Teslarati.
Like Tesla's product, Ampere is also a rectangular unit. It is shown attached to an exterior wall in a photo provided by IE. The company notes that it's weatherproof and fireproof, as well.
The latter detail is, in part, thanks to the lithium-iron phosphate — or LFP — battery cells. It's a form of battery chemistry being developed by other companies, including Volvo parent Geely. LFPs have been heralded by Forbes and others as a cheaper, safer alternative to lithium-ion power packs, which are the dominant battery type on the market.
Importantly, Ampere can also reportedly charge and discharge up to four times faster than "conventional systems."
"For the energy transition to succeed, we in Germany need to bring more powerful storage systems into our energy system," Sillober said in the press release.
Battery storage at home is a powerful way to help maximize solar panel use, providing perks for homeowners in more ways than one. The systems save households around $700, on average, according to a government study. That calculation even factors out the cost of the setups.
A growing number of solar panel/battery storage users are participating in so-called virtual power plants, which allow the savvy homeowners to sell excess power from their units back to the grid, creating another revenue stream. Tax breaks in the U.S. can save residents up to 30% on installation costs.
EKD's battery comes with Ampere.IQ software, which lets the user oversee the unit's energy management on a smartphone.
An EKD digital rendering of an example setup sums up the potential well. It shows rooftop solar panels collecting sun energy, which can be stored in the Ampere battery.
Solar energy can power the home — also providing blackout protection — and even charge an EV. The image indicates the option of using grid energy when it's available at a low cost, as well. The process is aided by advanced software, all according to the company.
Systems like Ampere can help to prevent the creation of heat-trapping air pollution — linked by government medical experts to a growing list of health concerns — by helping to expand renewable energy use.
"We have built a storage system that performs better, lasts longer, and works more safely," Sillober said in the press release.
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