Ikea launches home battery for solar panels in the U.K.

The market for residential solar energy is hot and now Ikea has stepped into the ring. The Swedish retailer has just announced that it will begin selling home batteries, in addition to rooftop solar panels, in the U.K.

Like Tesla’s in-demand Powerwall home battery, Ikea’s offering would let you store energy produced by the solar panels for backup or for using whenever you’d like. In the U.K., where solar-powered houses usually sell excess energy back to the national grid at a loss, a home battery could help homeowners further cut their electricity bills.

Just don’t expect Swedish design. For the launch, the company has teamed up with the U.K.’s leading solar panel installer Solarcentury, who will provide hardware using existing suppliers like LG and Sonnen.

What Ikea will be adding to the equation is an accessible entry point—U.K. homeowners can get their systems set up after getting a free quote and home survey. With its scale, Ikea can also bring down costs. According to Wired UK, Ikea’s batteries will start from £3,000, compared to over £5,000 for a 14 kWh Tesla Powerwall.

Via: Wired