Dive Brief:
- German energy storage company Sonnen announced Tuesday it is entering the commercial and industrial energy storage market with its sonnenBatterie pro that uses Ideal Power’s conversion technology.
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The company said sonnenBatterie pro uses its self-learning software that can reduce electricity costs by shaving peak demand and taking advantage of time-of-use electricity rates. The batteries will also work in concert with solar systems, enabling them to use more of their generated electricity, and facilitate participation in utility demand response programs.
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The sonnenBatterie pro system includes an inverter from Ideal Power, battery modules with a 10,000-cycle lifetime, and a smart energy management platform, as well as Ideal Power's 30-kW power conversion system.
Dive Insight:
Germany's Sonnen, already with more than 10,000 battery shipments under its belt, is moving aggressively into the U.S. storage market.
Just last week, the company announced a 40% reduction in its system cost to gain market share with a battery designed for use with residential solar power systems. The system does not include backup power capability.
In January, Sonnen moved to create a path for entry into the U.S. residential storage market by forming partnerships with SolarWorld, a crystalline-silicon solar manufacturer, and with PetersenDean, a residential roofing company. The partners plan to offer a solar-plus-storage package that includes financing.
The company’s latest move aims to position it in the C&I market with a battery system able to perform peak shaving and time-of-use switching. The system can scale from 18 kW (24kWh) up to 90 kW (240kWh) and is expected to be available for shipping late in the fourth quarter of 2016.
While Sonnen's has inspired many comparisons to well-known competitor Tesla, CEO Boris von Bormann told Utility Dive this spring that his company's strategy is different.
While other companies may target chain stores for bulk battery purchases, Sonnen is focused on building a network of local installers and solar partners that understand the needs of individual customers. The company already has more than 30 local solar partners and is aiming for 100 by the end of the year.
“I think the real untapped potential is in these one-off areas where it's just one restaurant or one business, but you have to understand the profiles so that you can actively and efficiently target them,” von Bormann said. “That's the key in that market, I think; otherwise, customer acquisition is going to be quite difficult and expensive.”