Introducing battery exporting
Now, you can get paid even more for your power.
When you’ve made an investment like a home solar system with battery storage, you want to ensure you’re getting the most out of it. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce our newest feature: Battery exporting, now available for Tesla Powerwall.
With battery exporting, you can sell your stored power back to the grid when real-time wholesale prices are at their highest. You’ll earn more from the power your solar produces, and maximize the capabilities of your system by selling back at times that power is most valuable.
Get more from your power
High buyback. 95 cents, high. You heard that right. Over the past year, customers in our battery exporting pilot program sold their battery power at an average real-time price of 95 cents/kWh.
Bigger credits for lower bills. Customers in the pilot were also able to export at significant volumes. Median annual earnings from battery exporting are estimated at over $200 – with top performing homes seeing nearly $600 a year from battery credits.
Value that’s good for you, and the grid. You already know the drill with real-time wholesale prices (if you need a refresher, visit the blog). So you already know that wholesale prices correlate with high demand, and often with grid stress. By strategically selling your battery power back when prices are high, you earn more and supply power to the grid when it needs it most.
"I just sit back and wait for the credits on my bill. And my house runs exactly how it’s supposed to.”
- battery pilot customer Jennifer, on how battery exporting has delivered effortless savings from her system.
How it works
That all sounds great, but what’s going to happen with my battery?
The important stuff. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- During the day, excess power from your solar system fills up your batteries.
- Our system monitors prices in the wholesale energy market, forecasting likely price activity throughout the day and determining where you’ll be able to earn the most for your power.
- When we detect a high price spike, we signal your battery to send power to the grid – and you get paid for it.
Battery exporting is set up to deliver you maximum value, so your battery will continually optimize to ensure you get the best price for your power – and the most ROI on your system. Each month, you'll receive credits on your bill for your battery exports at 90% RTW (just like your solar exports).
Getting started
To set up battery exporting, start by visiting your David Energy portal.
- Navigate to “my devices” and click on “connect backup battery”.
- Input your Tesla username and password to link your battery to our system.
- Ensure you have “Energy Exports” enabled. Most Powerwalls do not have this setting on by default, so you’ll need to contact Tesla via phone or email to have it turned on. Follow our easy script here to request it in under one minute.
After you connect, we'll verify that you have all the correct settings enabled. Once we confirm that your Powerwall is set up for exporting, we’ll send you an email to let you know – and you’ll be good to go to start selling your battery power back!
FAQ
Am I still in control of my battery?
Absolutely. Other battery programs offer fixed credits for your power (while they keep the wholesale upside), and rescind them if you want to change your reserve settings or need to disconnect. With us, you’re always in control – just change your reserve capacity in your Tesla app if you’d like to keep more backup power, or visit your David Energy portal if you need to turn battery exporting off for any reason.
What if the power goes out?
Your Powerwall is designed to monitor forecasted weather and grid conditions, so you’re protected in case of an outage. If you want to keep more battery power in reserve, just adjust your reserve capacity in the Tesla app.
Do I have to switch energy plans to use battery exporting?
Nope. Like EV smart charging, battery exporting is available as an add-on for your regular David Energy plan. No complex restrictions or gimmicky rates – just simple plans and great value from your devices.
Which batteries do you support?
Currently we are live for Tesla Powerwalls, but expect to have integrations with other brands coming soon. To let us know that you’re interested and request to participate in the beta for Enphase, Franklin, and other battery brands, reach out!