The bigger it is, the better it is! Such is the case with the RoseWater Energy Storage Hub. Two full-height seven-foot racks, filled with special design batteries and power management “stuff,” seem almost ominous (or impressive) in appearance. The Hub was on display during CEDIA Expo 2015 in RoseWater’s booth.
Let’s start by saying there is nothing else that does what this energy storage product does, and on the scale at which it does it. Yes, there are other battery backup systems for residential applications, but nothing incorporates all the features that RoseWater has built into their Hub.
The best way to explain it is that it’s like a giant UPS for residential or small commercial applications. You know, power goes out, this takes over. What RoseWater incorporates in addition to that is where the magic happens.
1. Clean Power. Unlike conventional surge protection and power conditioning, the Rosewater hub does not use filtering. There is actually a double power conversion that turns the AC power into DC and then back again to AC. The end result is that the unit puts out a perfect 60Hz sine wave of AC power.
2. Rechargeable Power. Duh! Of course it’s rechargeable, but it can recharge from solar, from the grid, or by generator. Outputting clean power, however, becomes really important when you consider how dirty, nasty and spikey those sources can be – especially generators. That’s where the technology has an immediate benefit, since the “clean power” is now omnipresent in your home/business.
3. Power Management. Okay, so how long does it take for your computer to turn off when power goes out? Instant, right? RoseWater’s Hub has a zero transfer time, allowing it to take over when the grid goes down without all the computers in your house shutting down or setting off your alarm system. (Darn! When the alarm monitoring company calls, what was my password anyway?)
4. Capacity. There are two versions, but the big guy has 28.8 kWh of output. That will run a pretty big house, or maybe your local deli, for several hours. If you turn off the non-critical stuff, even longer.
5. Energy Savings. Okay, I don’t want to get into an ROI discussion here because the Hub isn’t built for that reason. It’s built for high end homes whose owners can spend the money to avoid the inconvenience of the loss of power. However, if you can save a few bucks in the meantime, here’s the kind of thing it can do.
If your utility has higher rates during peak hours, you can let the batteries charge during off-peak hours and then program the system to not allow power consumption from the grid that surpasses the limit during peak hours. Yes, you can tell the Hub to take over and let the batteries run the house for any consumption that would put the power company into the bonus round inside your wallet. This is all manageable from an iPad, by the way.
6. Of course, massive surge protection is built in and it’s dual stage and serviceable.
The system can be purchased with either Nano-Carbon batteries or Lithium Ion batteries. Each has their advantages and it’s cool there is an option to choose. Lithium Ion has a better ability to drain to zero and then recharge on a more constant basis. Nano Carbon has a better ability to produce massive output when there is a catastrophic power outage.
A couple of centuries ago, I used to sell high-end phono cartridges and I was always asked, “Is this $2,500 cartridge four times better than this $600 cartridge?” Of course it’s not, as with anything else, the law of diminishing returns starts to set in at some point. So the question always becomes, “Is it worth it to you?” There are enough high end homes out there in which it is worth it to them, and that is who this is built for.
Right now, the two versions will retail for $60,000 and $80,000.
Author Wayne Ortner is an industry veteran and Sales Manager at Energy Squad.
