SunPower launches its own residential battery system with Equinox Storage

SunPower today introduced Equinox Storage, the next major advancement in the company’s Equinox energy platform for residential customers. Homeowners with Equinox Storage can choose to store energy for full- or partial-home backup during blackouts, reduce daily peak electricity consumption, or any combination that best fits their needs.

“We’re entering a new solar decade as storage adoption increases with the advancement of battery technologies, and with accompanying services becoming standard,” said Norm Taffe, SunPower executive vice president, residential solar. “For homeowners, Equinox Storage provides energy certainty and the power to make electricity allocation decisions, easing concerns with scheduled power outages, prolonged wildfire seasons, and unpredictable energy rates that are becoming more common.”

Equinox Storage is made specifically for the company’s Equinox Solar solution, the only fully-integrated residential solar system designed, engineered and warranted by one company.

“With up to 12 kWh of storage capacity, Equinox Storage gives homeowners the ability to keep lights on, essential appliances operating, internet connected and more, which can be critical during an outage,” Taffe continued. “Equinox Storage also automatically manages energy supply based on solar production, home electricity consumption, and utility rates to make the most efficient use of stored power every day.”

With a low-profile design, Equinox Storage occupies less space than competing solutions, while leaving room for future storage capacity expansion. SunPower has matched hardware aesthetics with next-generation software capabilities to give homeowners direct control of how and when they use stored solar energy. SunPower had previously used sonnen and Tesla batteries with its residential systems.

SunPower confirmed to Solar Power World that the Equinox Storage system is comprised of an inverter and a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery.

And as always, SunPower offers a single point of contact with the company’s industry-leading Complete Confidence Warranty for both solar and storage customers.

Equinox Storage builds on SunPower’s experience helping commercial customers like Whole Foods and Cabot Corporation lower peak energy demand from the grid with Helix Storage. The company has more than 15 MW of Helix Storage operating or under contract, and a pipeline of 136 MW.

“Helix Storage has helped our commercial customers reduce demand charges and save on electricity costs, while supporting the grid by reducing strain on distribution and transmission networks for operational efficiencies,” said Taffe. “We’ve used the same industrial-strength software and data platform to create our residential storage solution for homeowners.”

Eligible SunPower Equinox Solar customers in California can pre-order Equinox Storage beginning in November with installation expected in the first half of next year. In addition to purchasing with cash, qualified customers will be able to finance Equinox Storage with a loan from one of SunPower’s lending partners. SunPower expects to expand availability nationwide throughout 2020.

SunPower will showcase Equinox Storage at next week’s SPI (Booth 4329).

News item from SunPower