I Tried the Tesla Powerwall 3: Off-Grid Freedom Comes with Long-Term Benefits

Given all the diversions affecting Tesla's profitability right now, it's simple to overlook that the firm ventures into far more areas than just space exploration and electric cars.

Prior to Elon Musk assuming his most recent position as chief agitator His dream was for a world unburdened by fossil fuels, where vehicles could be charged at home and dependence on the electrical grid would decrease through the utilization of solar energy.

It might have slipped your notice, but Tesla’s Powerwall tech—basically a massive rechargeable battery designed to save power for future use—is currently in its third version. This latest model comes with several enhancements compared to earlier editions along with some fresh, automatic functions.

By the end of 2024, Tesla had installed more than 750,000 Powerwall units worldwide, with nearly 100,000 of these being used as part of their Virtual Power Plant (VPP) initiative. This program seeks to "draw" power from household Powerwalls during peak electricity usage times and return this energy to the grid.

This holds particular significance in areas characterized by an unreliable power grid and frequent home blackouts. For instance, in locations such as Puerto Rico, where Tesla has made substantial investments in its Virtual Power Plant initiative.

US readers might recognize the slim white units often seen decorating garages or outside walls of houses—especially those equipped with solar panels. These devices provide energy to run lighting, household appliances, and even charge batteries for electric cars.

Nevertheless, the UK has established a strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, where renewable energy plays an essential role in meeting this objective. As technological advancements make solar power increasingly dependable and cost-effective, private property owners are showing greater interest in installation. Among the favored options is Tesla’s easy-to-install home battery system.

It’s clear why this is the case, as Tesla excels in user experience with both its electric vehicles and the Powerwall, due to a straightforward and intuitive app interface that smoothly syncs with the same software used by smartphone owners to monitor their EV battery levels and even lock/unlock their vehicle.

To demonstrate how user-friendly it was, Tesla asked me to take an 800-mile round trip from my home to the Lake District in northwest England’s most secluded area. This journey led me to a remote historic estate in Cumbria, which featured one of their latest Powerwall 3 units recently installed at the base of the picturesque Mardale Valley.

A simple set-up

It required only one visit with Tesla’s earlier model. Model Y To cover the approximately 400 miles needed to reach the isolated Haweswater Reservoir. The effectiveness and convenience of operating and recharging Tesla vehicles continues to impress me.

When they arrived, the batteries of the Model Y were nearly drained and needed to be connected to Tesla’s Wall Connector for a full recharge.

Since the house was equipped with Powerwall 3 and solar panels, the setup started charging the vehicle using the energy stored in the Powerwall’s 13.5 kWh battery pack.

The latest update to Tesla’s mobile application introduces a feature known as 'Charge with Solar', which gives users more management options for how their car charges, utilizing surplus solar power whenever it's accessible.

Similar to Tesla’s Charge Limit interface that enables owners to modify the level of battery charge received during each charging session, the Charge on Solar function employs a comparable sliding mechanism for adjustments.

Fundamentally, owners have the option to set their maximum charge level to, for instance, 50%. This could suffice for handling all the travel needs for a week when combined with the Charge on Solar feature adjusted between 50% and 90%. Consequently, this allows the battery to receive an additional boost up to 30% provided there is sufficient surplus solar power available.

As bruised clouds loomed low over the Aquila house near the Haweswater reservoir, it seemed like an abundance of solar power wasn't a common event. However, in locations endowed with ample sunlight, harnessing solar energy appears to be quite advantageous.

However, beyond just providing an alternative method to charge your electric vehicle’s battery without depending on the utility grid, the Powerwall can also serve as a backup source during outages. Additionally, it can pull electricity from the grid when rates are lower to help minimize home energy expenses.

Crunching numbers

Expecting a large, cumbersome battery unit along with an array of tangled cables, I was happily taken aback by the sleek design of Tesla’s setup. Despite being mounted onto a traditionally styled British heritage home, it blended in rather well without disrupting the overall appearance.

The Powerwall appears as a modern white enclosure weighing approximately 130 kilograms. It stands slightly taller than one meter (about 43 inches) and spans around 609 millimeters in width (approximately 24 inches). To use this device effectively, you must also have a Tesla Gateway installed indoors; this component functions akin to an extra circuit breaker panel.

Additionally, there’s an extra enclosure that receives input from the rooftop solar panels along with the necessary wiring for everything to function properly. This explains why Tesla provides a starting price, only to direct potential customers towards certified installers who can offer them a definitive cost estimate.

Regarding this topic, the Powerwall 3 has a price of £6,600 (approximately $8,500 / AU$13,500) in the UK, excluding delivery and setup. An extra cost of £1,170 ($1,500 / AU$2,400) is needed for the necessary Gateway. Tesla mentions that "additional expenses" might arise due to charges imposed by authorized installers.

Many rough calculations suggest that installing a typical system would exceed £10,000 (approximately $13,000 / AU$20,500), representing quite an upfront investment. However, Tesla forecasts that Powerwall owners could conserve roughly £1,450 (about $1,800 / AU$3,000) annually on electricity costs when combined with solar panels. It’s worth noting that these solar installations will add another £6,000 (roughly $7,700 / AU$12,300) to your expenses for homes of even modest size.

Using some rough estimates, it would typically take about 11 years for your Tesla Powerwall 3 to pay off itself – though Tesla's projected savings appear overstated based on their predictions. Uswitch determined that an average UK household's annual electricity consumption amounts to approximately £800.

However, it's not solely about the financial aspect; the decrease in grid usage is also a significant topic of discussion, particularly as an increasing number of homes begin charging electric vehicles.

“A typical electric vehicle generally increases a standard household’s yearly electricity consumption by about two times. As these vehicles gain more popularity over time, the adaptability of home charging systems and efficient power distribution will naturally become even more crucial," stated a representative from leading home charging solution providers. Ohme told me.

“For EV drivers that means charging their cars at the cheapest and greenest times, while for energy suppliers that means maximizing use of renewable energy and helping them to better predict and control that supply and demand domestically, locally and nationally to ensure there’s a healthier energy system overall,” they added.

By consuming energy during periods of low demand (typically late at night) and then releasing power from Powerwall when everyone is preparing meals and streaming shows, it helps avoid significant peaks that trouble utility companies.

Ohmme accomplishes this with its advanced home chargers, capable of adjusting charging rates for electric vehicles based on varying levels of supply and demand within the electrical grid. However, Tesla’s Powerwall similarly attains these outcomes while additionally harnessing solar energy as an extra benefit.

Riders of the Storm

Although numerous solar and battery storage systems are available, Tesla stands out due to its advanced software, making it simple for even inexperienced individuals such as myself to effortlessly monitor the system’s performance.

In addition to the 'Charge on Solar' feature, Tesla also provides 'Storm Watch,' which monitors approaching severe weather conditions and automatically charges the Powerwall to 100% capacity as preparation for possible power disruptions.

This will enable a smooth transition between the power grid and Tesla’s home battery system, permitting typical households to operate normally for approximately one or two days before the Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), commonly referred to as such, requires recharging.

The mobile application provides a detailed analysis of the Powerwall’s performance along with the amount of electricity consumed by the house daily, weekly, monthly, or annually. Additionally, it offers an easy-to-understand graphic representation illustrating the proportion sourced from solar energy versus the power grid.

In regions with more sunshine, the application could display an 'Impact' metric indicating that the home was 88% "self-sustained" for a full day.

During the final quarter of 2024, the Powerwall installation at what can only be described as a somewhat dimly lit home in the Lake District supplied power for illumination and devices just 4% of the time, based on an application to which I had been granted access. An additional 4% came from solar sources. The rest, totaling 92%, was sourced from the electrical grid. This contributed approximately £73 towards the estimated energy cost savings.

In the initial quarter of 2025, which spans three months, things improved significantly. The breakdown was as follows: 4% came from solar power, 10% from Powerwalls, and 86% from the electrical grid, totaling an approximate energy worth of £134.

However, what wasn't clear at first was how much money this approach was saving the family by charging during off-peak hours when electricity rates are significantly lower, and then using that stored energy during peak times when prices spike.

A part of the application indicated that during the initial three months of this year, the Powerwall released nearly as much power as it stored, indicating that the home was largely taking advantage of lower cost energy rates around the clock.

For individuals considering switching to solar power, Tesla’s setup is one of the most straightforward options available... It also boasts a rather sleek design for a home battery system. Additionally, it integrates smoothly with the app that many electric vehicle owners already know well.

However, as long as this technology remains expensive, it feels similar to the early days of electric vehicles when only wealthy pioneers were willing to bear the substantial initial expenses.

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