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"Home Batteries" Power Houses For a Week

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the probably-bigger-than-c dept.

tjansen writes "Panasonic has announced plans to create 'home batteries.' They are lithium-ion batteries large enough to power a house for a week, making energy sources such as solar and wind power more feasible. Also, you can buy energy when it is cheapest, and don't need to worry about power outages anymore."

2 of 325 comments (clear)

  1. And Santa will deliver them... by Tony+Reina · · Score: 0, Troll

    Wow! "Plans" to develop batteries in 2011. Stop the press!! And, I have "plans" to develop a pocket watch-sized nuclear reactor for my home in 2012. It'll be designed with gum drops and built by my own sense of self-promotion. Perhaps they should have mentioned that each home battery will ship with a copy of Duke Nukem Forever and delivered by Saint Nick. Please...

  2. Nothing to see here by ickleberry · · Score: 0, Troll

    Well actually there is. When you look at the picture it looks awfully similar to a whole bunch of 18650's shoved into a box.

    and besides. Lithium ion sucks, anyone who has owned an iPhone/iPod for more than a year will know this. -20% a year at room temperature, 500 cycle life.

    The only way this would be a viable way to power a house is if you took an absolute crapload of 'spent' li-ion batteries from consumer electronics for free and assembled the pack yourself then put it in the shed to extend it's short lifetime. I'd say your average spent li-ion will have a better energy density than a brand new lead-acid battery