Elon Musk's visions haven't just changed the tech industry, they've changed the world and even space exploration. But a new venture and interest in batteries will mean that Tesla is expanding into the solar energy game, and Musk is offering home owners the opportunity to capitalize on the power of the Sun.
Known as the "Powerwall", Tesla's newest invention is a thin, wall-mounted battery that is the size of a flat screen TV. And with this new battery home owners who have already invested in solar power will be able to entirely go off the grid, and even to sell their excess solar juice back to energy companies.
Developed in conjunction with the lithium-ion batteries that Tesla uses for its electric vehicles, the Powerwall unit is an inexpensive unit, only running $3,000 to $3,500, and with it Musk and his companies believe that humans may one day be able to transition to solely using energy derived from the Sun. Though the installation may look like an artpiece, it packs quite a punch at 10 kWh, and with it consumers will not only be able to store their energy for dark solar-free nights, but also more efficiently contribute to global energy use by contributing carbon-free energy back into the mix.
While some critics may criticize Musk's ambitious move to enter an entirely new industry already dominated by heavy-hitters in the energy trade, the multi-millionaire's apparently endless funds are a terrific spark for innovation-perhaps exactly what our transitioning world needs.
