Best Tesla Powerwall Alternatives For 2022

The Powerwall costs $10,500 for the battery, installed as part of a Tesla solar+storage system.

It’s very simple to use, with an app that controls how and when energy flows to and from the battery. The Powerwall is designed to fade into the background of your life, doing its job and remaining ready for a power outage.

That simplicity can be a benefit and a drawback. The Powerwall battery is easy to use, but because it’s connected to your home via AC power, solar energy to be stored in the battery is converted from DC to AC first, meaning the battery is less efficient than one with a direct DC connection to a solar installation. In addition, the Powerwall comes only in one size. If you need just a little more energy than one can provide, you’ll need to pay for a whole second battery.

The all-in-one sonnenCore battery storage system is a 10 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery that costs $9,500 before installation. This is substantially cheaper than their sonnenEco or EcoLinx models that could cost over $30,000 to install. 

Pros of the sonnenCore solar battery

The sonnenCore battery melds together solar energy with features befitting even the most technologically advanced smart home, while still keeping it at a reasonable price. 

Because of the company’s commitment to advancing technologies, the battery has many useful features that should be considered when looking at battery backup systems.

Generac saw a way to integrate its own home energy management technology with the solar storage system. The company now sells its solar battery alongside Smart Management Modules (SMMs) to provide true whole-home backup, and plans future integration with additional smart circuits and a backup generator for true off-grid operation.

Our estimates show the PWRcell battery will add between $10,000 to $18,000 to the cost of a solar installation, depending on the number of battery modules included in the system. Like other solar batteries, that cost before any reduction from the federal tax credit, which can reduce the cost by 26%. 

Pros of the Generac PWRcell

• The battery is truly modular, with 3 kWh battery packs that can create a system sized between 9 and 18 kWh in a single cabinet, or up to 36 kWh in two cabinets
• Additional battery modules can be added if your energy needs change in the future
• The PWRcell is a DC-coupled battery that comes with its own set of solar power optimizers, making it very efficient
• Generac’s SMMs turn off certain circuits to allow the PWRcell to start up big appliances like air conditioners and microwaves, meaning you can theoretically back up more circuits than with the Powerwall
• Future integration with even more smart circuit tech and a specially-designed natural gas/LP generator will allow homes to go completely off-grid with PWRcell.

Cons of the Generac PWRcell

• Because it’s not just a plug-and-play battery, PWRcell is basically impossible to retrofit with an existing solar system
• The PWRcell uses the same NMC battery chemistry as Powerwall
• The PWRcell is more expensive than some other batteries in this list

What type of home is the PWRcell right for?

If you haven’t yet installed solar panels on your home, and you’re in the market for a solar + storage solution, the Generac PWRcell system might be right for you. It’s a smart solution to home backup, and its modular design means you can size the system to your needs and even have room to inexpensively add more storage if those needs change. If you live in an area that is prone to power outages or want to go truly off-grid in the future, the PWRcell is a great way to power your home.

LG Energy Solution RESU Prime

The RESU Prime can be used as either a whole-home backup during outages or as a day-to-day battery pack, meaning it charges and discharges over a traditional 24-hour period. The RESU Prime comes in capacities of 10 and 16 kWh, and can be installed in pairs to create a whole-home backup for even larger homes that use a lot of electricity.

The average cost of one LG battery, including supporting equipment and installation, ranges from $11,000 to $15,000, depending on battery capacity, installation cost, and location.

Pros of the LG RESU battery 

• LG’s RESU Prime batteries come with a warranty that ensures they will retain at least 70% capacity after a 10-year period, which matches the warranty offered by Tesla
• 16 kWh is a large enough home battery size to be adequate for most homes, and can be doubled if necessary
• The Prime batteries are floor-mounted and LG-trained installers can service and repair the batteries onsite if anything goes wrong

Cons of the LG RESU battery 

• The average cost of the LG Chem system, including supporting equipment and installation, ranges from $11,000 to $15,000 – depending on your location, battery capacity, and installation charges
• LG batteries are DC-coupled, meaning they can only be used with a hybrid solar inverter or by adding an additional battery inverter, which adds expense and complexity
• LG batteries offer a relatively low continuous power output of 5 and 7 kW for the 10 and 16 kWh batteries, respectively—in order to get higher continuous power output, you have to install 2 full batteries
• The RESU battery uses NMC battery chemistry, like the batteries from Tesla and Generac

What type of home is the LG solar battery system best for? 

The LG RESU, like most of its competition, is not intended for those looking to go “off-grid”. In fact, the batteries are designed to only work in hybrid grid-tied battery backup systems. 

So instead, these batteries are best for energy-conscious homes that require energy coverage during peak consumption periods and unexpected power outages. The 16 kWh system is enough to cover a home for about a day of limited energy use, not several days.

Panasonic EverVolt battery

Panasonic is one of the most recognized and trusted electronics brands in the world, and its solar and battery offerings match the company’s reputation. 

If installed as an AC-coupled system (connected to your home’s wiring), Panasonic offers two battery sizes of 11.4 and 17.1 kWh. If installed DC-coupled (connected to your solar inverter), the battery system is expandable from 11-102 kWh for a truly huge whole-home backup system. 

Pros of the Panasonic EverVolt battery 

• Can be installed either AC-coupled or DC-coupled, allowing for the battery to fit your needs
• Can be sized large enough to provide long-term backup and charge only from solar panels

Cons of the Panasonic EverVolt battery 

• Panasonic’s warranty guarantees only 60% capacity after 10 years, falling behind both Tesla and LG
• The cost of AC-coupled Panasonic batteries is between $15,000 and $20,000, which is higher than the AC-coupled Powerwall+ 

Enphase Energy IQ battery

In addition, IQ batteries can be connected to fossil fuel backup generators from popular companies like Kohler, Generac, and Cummins. This type of setup would provide a true off-grid experience when paired with solar panels, although it would eliminate the federal tax credit for the battery, given that it wouldn’t be charged exclusively from solar energy.

Pros of the Enphase IQ battery

The PowerPod 2 comes in both AC and DC-coupled versions in sizes of between 10 and 20-kWh.

Pros of the Electriq PowerPod 2 

• Electriq uses cobalt-free LiFePO4 chemistry in the PowerPod 2, meaning it’s less polluting than other batteries and avoids using cobalt mined under terrible conditions
• Like the Panasonic EverVolt, the PowerPod 2 is available in AC and DC-coupled versions to meet a variety of needs
• The PowerPod 2’s round-trip efficiency is 96.6%, meaning 9.66 kWh will be available for every 10 kWh stored. Additionally, Electriq Power’s warranty guarantees 70% capacity after 10 years, even with the LG and Tesla as the best in the industry

Cons of the Electriq PowerPod 2 

• The cost of a PowerPod 2 is estimated between $13,000 and $19,000, but could go higher based on your location and other factors
• As a newer company, it’s more difficult to believe in Electriq Power’s warranty than it is in those from more established brands like Panasonic and LG

Is there a clear-cut winner among solar batteries?

The battery that will actually work best for your home will largely depend on your budget, your location, your personal energy consumption profile, and what additional features you’d like to see in your system.

We think the Generac PWRcell system is best if you’re installing solar panels at the same time. It gives homeowners the best chance to power many different kinds of appliances during a power outage, and its modular design allows you to add more storage modules if your needs change in the future.

If you already have solar panels and are looking for an AC-coupled battery, we recommend the sonnenCore. Although it comes with a higher price tag, this battery is simple to use, safe, and comes with a great warranty.

The batteries from Panasonic and Electriq Power are fine products in their own rights, but generally a bit more expensive and harder to get. That said, if you find a Panasonic-certified installer, you can get both panels and batteries that are perfect for each other. If you want something simple and more widely available, the LG batteries are industry standard, and many installers can put them in. Many other battery companies are just getting started, so watch this article to see if one of them rises to the top of our list!