Get every episode summarized
Each time Volts publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
About this episode
Home batteries like the Tesla Powerwall are nice, but what about people who can’t afford them, or renters who aren’t allowed to install them, or people who just don’t want the hassle of dealing with a permit and an electrician? A company called Pila is selling small (1.6 kWh) batteries that simply plug into a normal electrical socket. They can serve as backup for a refrigerator or other appliance in the event of a blackout, but they can also “mesh” with one another to form a network, pair with rooftop solar, or participate in VPP programs. CEO Cole Ashman explains the value proposition.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:26 Lessons from Powerwall and Span
05:33 What Pila is and how it works
07:14 How long a fridge runs on one battery
09:28 Fire risk, LFP chemistry, and New York City
16:02 Why the price went up, and cost per kilowatt hour
19:55 Who is actually buying Pila
23:00 Financing models and free batteries
27:04 Do the bill savings add up?
32:05 Why utilities want small batteries in VPPs
36:58 Pilots with Holy Cross Energy and Brooklyn SolarWorks
41:09 Solar pairing and the Pila mesh network
47:14 Camping batteries and built-in storage
54:19 Utilities and visibility at the grid edge
55:58 Bidirectional outlets and the next five years
1:00:10 Clean energy as invisible infrastructure
Get every episode summarized
Each time Volts publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
