‘it’s an absolute game-changer’ – tesla powerwall wins 2015 INDEX: award

‘it’s an absolute game-changer’ – tesla powerwall wins 2015 INDEX award
all images courtesy of tesla

with a jury of 13 influential figures from all over the world, the danish award highlights organizations that constantly discuss, evaluate and advocate design to improve life, in order to move the borders and expand the impact of creativity in the world. 2015 INDEX award winner, the american electric automotive company went beyond cars to create a battery system centered on household consumption needs. the tesla ‘powerwall’ is not only described as a game changing innovation but also an icon resembling the future of power usage.

guaranteed for ten years and are sufficient to power most homes during peak evening hours

the batteries inside are a step towards revolutionizing the way people generate, consume and manage energy and by allowing users to have better control of their energy sources, – the design moves the world to a more sustainable self sufficiency. it addresses the challenge of energy consumption at a personal, national and global level. it benefits the everyday user and community alongside working towards a worldwide future solution. 

the ‘powerwall’ bridges this gap between renewable energy supply and demand

jury member arnold wasserman, chairman of the idea factory and partner at collective innovation,  describes the project – ‘it’s an absolute game-changer. energy self-sufficiency – what could be bigger than that?’ aside from benefitting households, CEO elon musk believes the ‘powerwall’ will aid the development of remote communities. he speculates the batteries will help people in emerging markets or remote locations to ‘leapfrog’ the need for existing power systems, in a similar way that landlines in rural parts of the world are now obsolete as mobile phones have become more prevalent. ‘it’s the most promising design we’ve seen that will encourage people to use renewables and it has potential to level out energy consumption,’ explains index award jury member katinka von der lippe, strategic design, aestethics & design management at eker design/hydrolift.

 ‘powerwall’s’ outdoor-rated enclosure is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery

costing approximately $3,500 US, the lithium ion batteries will allow owners to store energy generated during the day and use it at night, allowing them to avoid buying electricity from utility providers in the evenings at peak rates. this will lead to increased independence from the power grid, as well as a backup solution in case of a power outage. mikal hallstrup, founder and chief visionary office at designit, sums up the potential by saying, ‘the design is an inspiration to the industry and has great capacity to revolutionize the entire system of power generation.’ 

home solar installations consist of a solar panel, an electrical inverter, and now a battery

multiple batteries may be installed together for homes with greater energy needs

the ‘powerwall’ shares the garage with a tesla ‘model s’