SunWorks Inc (SUNWQ)

[markp1950]

It is probably time for them to concentrate more on storage. This is getting big.
http://pppfocus.com/2017/05/19/mercedes-benz-and-vivint-create-tesla-solarcity-copycat/
Mercedes-Benz and Vivint Create Tesla/SolarCity Copycat

For instance, Mercedez-Benz says that these batteries come with a 10 year warranty and are engineered to last a long time – after 10 years, capacity is only expected to decrease to 80%.

California is the first US market where Vivint Solar will be selling the combination of solar panels and batteries, beginning this quarter.

The energy storage systems will be made up of 2.5 kWh modular batteries that can be combined to create a system as large as 20 kWh.

Vivint Solar, on the other hand, has installed solar energy systems in over 100,000 households across the US, but up until this point, its services did not include home batteries as well.

Musk made that much clear during his initial solar roof unveiling, where he discussed how a solar push allows for the full integration of Tesla products: a Powerwall that both stores solar energy and juices up your electric vehicle. Customers can also reduce energy costs by using battery power during peak times when electricity rates are higher. Vivint Solar will be on hand at the installation to customize the homeowner’s setup based on their energy consumption.

“Everybody’s adding an energy-storage offering one way or another”, said Shayle Kann, who leads GTM Research, which tracks the solar industry.

The second advantage is that energy storage gives electric vehicle owners a more convenient way to charge their cars at home.

"Storage will be more and more important in the future of any company that is going to deploy solar“, Bormann said.

“In the future when someone steps into a dealership and they are looking to purchase an EV, they are asking for several solutions and storage will be one of them”, he said in an interview.

This will also be Mercedes-Benz Energy’s first collaboration with a U.S. solar provider. “We look forward to bringing this innovative solution to consumers, beginning in our California markets”. Starting in Q2, California residents will be able to purchase (or finance the purchase of) the cells, though the offer is now only valid for new Vivint customers.

The systems are available immediately, and Vivint plans to sell them both online and through its primary door-to-door sales operation.

Parent company Daimler started the energy storage division in 2015 soon after Tesla Energy was launched. The company is utilizing lithium-ion technology it has developed for its expanding electric and hybrid vehicle offerings.

Vivint Solar is a leading full-service residential solar provider in the United States. The company partnered with utilities and solar companies in Germany to store surplus energy for later use in the home.

Tesla’s Powerwall 2, which stores 14 kWh of energy, can cost as much as $11,450 including installation.