Tesla's much-hyped home battery, which promises to dramatically cut consumers' power bills by letting them store solar energy for use when the sun is no longer shining, has gone on sale in Australia.
The cost of a full residential system including Tesla's Powerwall battery was revealed on Thursday to be about $15,000, which includes solar panels and an inverter to switch the panels' DC output into the AC needed for use in the home.
Along with Germany, where about 30 per cent of energy comes from renewables, Australia is now just one of two countries outside the United States where the Powerwall battery is available.
"We see this opportunity as a chance to educate the public on this ground-breaking technology and more," said Chris Williams, managing director of Natural Solar, one of the first three companies selling the batteries.
"Australians are among the world's early adopters of renewable energy technology."
With the battery guaranteed for 10 years, the upfront cost compares favourably when set against an average electricity bill of $1,690, as estimated by utility comparison service Bill Republic.
It should also insulate users from power grid blackouts and reduces the demand for energy from coal- and gas-fired power stations.
Tesla Motors said it is talking with other companies about expanding its range of Australian partners to include network providers as well as solar installers and electricity suppliers.
Origin Energy, which in October announced it would close its only coal-powered station ahead of schedule as part of its shift toward renewables, is only selling the battery in a bundle with panels and an inverter.
It said some solar panels with an inbuilt inverter were incompatible with the Powerwall and that it would announce standalone options in coming months once it has looked into ways of retrofitting the technology.
An Origin solar system minus the battery costs about $9,000.
California-based Tesla said there was no reason that the technology, which was unveiled by chief executive Elon Musk in May, could not be sold as a standalone unit and that it was up to suppliers how they package it.
Simply Energy, the other seller announced on Thursday, said it would sell the batteries separately or in a package, with its first installations scheduled for early 2016.
Origin Energy, which in October became the first power company in the world to fully commit to an international business initiative on climate change that includes carbon pricing, is Australia's seventh largest solar installer with 400,000 customers.
"Home batteries will not be for everyone at this early stage, but ... we are confident that there will be early adopters very interested," Origin chief executive Frank Calabria said.
