Friday 19 May 2017

Mercedes Benz’s domestic storage hits US

Mercedes-Benz is collaborating with a solar energy developer to bring its domestic storage system to the US.

The collaboration will be the first time US solar provider Vivint Solar has integrated batteries into its product, which have already been installed at more than 100,000 sites across the country.

Mercedes Benz's modular system can host up to eight battery units, each with a capacity of 2.5kWh, to provide a maximum of 20kWh of storage.

The car manufacturer says the technology, which is commonly used in its electric vehicles and hybrids, can be scaled up for industrial applications.

It says the lithium-ion technology is safe, reliable, noiseless and will allow customers to have more control over the renewable energy they generate.

It will allow excess solar energy produced by the system during the daytime to be stored and then consumed during periods of peak energy usage in the evening and at night when electricity rates are typically higher.

Boris von Bormann, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Energy Americas, said: "The launch of our home battery system in Europe has been successful and we are thrilled to be working with Vivint Solar to bring a reliable and compelling solar plus storage offering to American homes."