Tesla Energy Plan
The Tesla Energy Plan is a really good option for both (a) Tesla car drivers and (b) home-owners without a Tesla car.
There are two versions of the plan:
Tesla Energy Plan: Tesla car owners
If you do have a Tesla car, you need to meet all of the following criteria to be able to access this electricity tariff:
- Own or lease a Tesla car.
- Have a dedicated EV charging point.
- Have solar PV panels.
- Have a Powerwall battery storage unit (the latest 13.5 kWh ‘Powerwall 2’).
If you are in the lucky position of having the car, the charger, the solar panels and the battery, then you will enjoy:
- A rate of just 8p per kWh for any electricity you import, 24 hours a day.
- The same rate of 8p per kWh for any electricity you export to the grid, 24 hours a day.
- No daily standing charge.
Exported electricity could be from either your solar panels or your Powerwall battery storage. In other words, you are being paid a very generous rate for sending electricity to the grid. Normally, under the Smart Export Guarantee scheme, you would only be paid a maximum of about 5.5p per kWh for exported solar electricity.
The Tesla Energy Plan import rate is also the lowest single rate tariff currently on the market, by far. If you drive a Model 3, Model S, Model X or soon Model Y, this is the tariff for you.
Tesla Energy Plan: for people who don’t own a Tesla car
If you don’t have a Tesla car – in fact you don’t need to have any electric car at all – you can still benefit from the Tesla Energy Plan, but the rates are different.
Eligibility criteria are:
- Have a Powerwall battery storage unit (the latest 13.5 kWh ‘Powerwall 2’).
- Have solar PV panels.
You then get:
- A rate of 11p per kWh for all the electricity you import from the grid, 24 hours a day.
- The same rate of 11p per kWh for electricity you export to the grid, 24 hours a day.
- No daily standing charge.
So, on the one hand, you have to pay more for your imported electricity than Tesla car owners do; but on the other hand, you get paid more than Tesla car owners for electricity you export.
UK Tesla Virtual Power Plant
These tariffs are unique in the market. But there’s more to it than just rates. With the Tesla Energy Plan, you are effectively becoming part of a ‘virtual power plant’. What does that mean?
Basically, all the homes signed up to these tariffs form part of a connected grid. You then share your renewable solar energy to other connected members when you have more solar electricity than you need. If your solar generation is low in relation to your home’s needs, extra stored electricity will be delivered automatically by your Powerwall, and/or electricity will flow in from the grid.
The Tesla Virtual Power Plant concept ensures as much renewable energy is generated, stored and shared as possible, in order both to lower your bills and help the environment.