The disclaimer “batteries not included” has been standard copy on packaging for electronics and toys for decades, an essential reminder nothing works as promised without power. Today, the same could be said about our homes. With an uptick of brownouts and blackouts connected to seasonal stress on the energy grid, climate change, and natural disasters, residential backup battery storage offers homeowners a peace of mind that even when the grid is down, you’ve got an energy ace card up the sleeve. When paired with solar, a residential energy storage system like the newly launched Anker SOLIX X1 can continue delivering free energy long after the sun has set or sell some of that power right back to utilities.
The SOLIX X1 will soon be joined by the SOLIX Microinverter and EV Charger to round out the entire residential micro-grid solution.
Anker is a well established battery name you’ve probably seen if you’ve ever shopped around for a backup battery for your home or apartment, alongside a range aimed at outdoor off-the-grid adventuring. Last year the brand hosted its own ReCharge event in New York City, unveiling a new SOLIX line of battery backups, and with it their largest capacity system. The SOLIX X1 is now available stateside as a modular system.
The system is rated to operate in extreme temperatures, whether a sweltering peak of 131°F all the way down to -4°F (the system heats up batteries in frigid conditions).
Because backup battery power capacity is not a one-size-fits-all (nor budget), Anker has taken a modular approach to their system, allowing owners to add additional batteries to their system as needed. Offered between 5kWh of power to a max of 180kWh, on the lowest end a 5kWh battery is sufficient to keep the lights on, the internet up, and the freezer from thawing out. But you’ll need 3 Power Modules with 6 Battery Modules if you’re looking to run an air conditioner, electric oven, heat pump, and charge an EV.
A welcome and useful flourish is the inclusion of a light strip designed to illuminate as you approach the unit, with seven distinct modes in three colors reporting the state of the battery storage system.
And that brings us to what might be the SOLIX X1’s most notable feature. Measuring just 5.9-inches thick, the Power Modules are noticeably more svelte than the competition. The Tesla Powerwall 3 measures 7.6-inches thick, the new Enphase IQ Battery 5P comes in at 7.4 inches for comparison. Like most residential battery systems the SOLIX X1 is designed to be secured onto a wall, and its absence of a wall gut means it can be installed indoors or outdoors in spaces where other brands wouldn’t work.
As someone who invested in solar panels right before California’s Net Energy Metering 3.0 (NEM 3.0) policy kicked in at lower energy sell back rates, the idea of adding a pair of battery storage modules like the SOLIX or the similarly modular and minimalist Lunar ranks high on the wishlist.
The Anker app reports real-time data tracking of power generation and consumption.
Anker has yet to reveal pricing, but do list that it does come with a 10-year warranty protecting the die-cast IP65-rated sealed system. With its modular buy-as-you-go system and sleek, slim design, the SOLIX X1 has the potential to gird the grid alongside power your critical devices and appliances in more homes than the competition… if the price is right.
For more information on Anker’s SOLIX X1, visit anker.com.
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