Storing solar-generated energy to use when the sun goes down, or as back-up when the electricity goes off in a hurricane, are scenarios that can be handled by a new energy storage system coming to Bermuda. Greenlight Energy has partnered with Tesla to bring the Tesla Powerwall 2 battery storage unit to the island.Homeowners can link their solar photovoltaic system to the battery unit, made by Tesla, which will store electricity that can be tapped later.Cameron Smith, co-founder and managing director of Greenlight Energy, said: “Solar panels only work when there is sunlight. So there is a fundamental problem with that, as we consume most of our energy outside of sunlight hours.“The Powerwall aims to solve that problem. The idea is you produce the energy during the day and what you don’t use gets stored so you can then use it in the evening.”There is a further benefit as any excess electricity produced from solar panels once the battery storage is full can be fed into the grid, with the homeowner receiving a payment.Mr Smith said a Tesla Powerwall 2 unit you would be able to do power home lighting, charge phones and laptop, watch television and keep your refrigerator running. “You’d be able to do light loads. We wouldn’t want you to be washing your clothes, or using a clothes drier or things like that,” he said.“One Powerwall will generally get you through an evening, taking over and powering your house in evening mode. However, if you installed two that pretty much takes you to standard running of your house. “If you had two in a hurricane, you’d pretty much live your life as normal — so you could have the air conditioning on, you could probably wash a load of clothes, have water heaters and pumps on.”Greenlight Energy’s mission is to make renewable energy more affordable and accessible in Bermuda, while promoting energy equality. To open up availability of green energy to all residents, it provides no-cost installation of solar photovoltaic systems.The Bermuda-headquartered solar energy company is the only Tesla-certified installer of the global company’s products on the island. Kenny Thomson, co-founder and president of Greenlight Energy, said: “As we prepare for uncertainty in the energy market on the island, with Belco selling to an international company, it’s more important now than ever to provide Bermudian homeowners with a local affordable energy option.” Greenlight Energy is taking pre-orders for Tesla Powerwall 2, with installations beginning in the last quarter of this year.Mr Smith said: “Our new partnership with Tesla is a huge step forward as we work to fundamentally change the energy landscape in Bermuda. We’re on a mission to move Bermuda forward to a sun-powered future and the Powerwall 2 is the energy storage solution the solar industry has been waiting for.”• Greenlight Energy has a website at www.greenlightenergy.bm