High energy costs continue to put a strain on the budgets of many families. The U.S. energy grid is also overburdened and sometimes unreliable, especially in the summer when many people are running air conditioners. Renewable energy sources including solar and wind, meanwhile, are widely considered to be major parts of the solution, but they tend to be intermittent -– limited to when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing.
Orison is a plug-and-play energy storage system that’s designed to work in any country, whether the user gets energy from the grid, the sun or another source. The battery system automatically stores energy when utility rates are low, and then uses that energy to power the user’s home or business when rates are high. During a power outage, it can automatically power a home or business and make sure none of the stored energy is sent back to the grid. By localizing energy distribution, users can save money while lowering peak demand on the grid.
The Orison product line includes an LED-lit energy panel that can be hung on a wall in front of a power outlet and the Orison Tower device that is designed to stand on the floor and be plugged into a wall outlet. The devices work independent of each other and consumers don’t need to buy both for the Orison system to work. Orison is controlled via an app for Android and iOS mobile devices, and there is also support for Linux devices. The system is wirelessly linked via the Orison Cloud network that constantly accesses data including utility rates, peak demand charges, weather and blackout alerts.
The Orison Panel ships in August at $1,600, but early bird Kickstarter backers can get one for a pledge starting at $1,200. The Orison Tower ships in October at $1,950, but early bird backers can get one for a pledge starting at $1,550. Orison’s makers are looking to raise $50,000 by March 12.
Orison joins the Telsa Powerwall home battery in offering a clever energy solution that is likely to appeal to many home owners … as long as they can afford the upfront cost and the system actually works as well as its campaign says. One of the few negatives is that each Orison Panel and Tower can either charge or provide output power at any one time, not perform both functions simultaneously.