Sunrun Brightbox

Target SDGs

Market Suggested Retail Price

$7,000.00

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

This product is distributed by Sunrun, through an online quote

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Tesla's Powerwall.

Manufacturing/Building Method

The Sunrun Brightbox uses a LG Chem RESU battery and is mass produced in South Korea utilizing LG Chem's battery technology.

Intellectural Property Type

Trademark

User Provision Model

Users can obtain this product through direct sales from the manufacturer.

Distributions to Date Status

As of the end of 2018, Sunrun had installed over 5,000 Brightbox units with numbers expecting to double by the end of 2019.

Design Specifications

The Sunrun Brightbox is a solar energy storage system, designed to be integrated into a larger network of storage devices to provide power to homes in periods of blackouts. The system utilizes LG Chem's Lithium ion battery technology and is available with a 5 kW capacity; with a total energy rating of 9.8 kWh. The unit is wall mounted and can operate in most environments and temperatures with an IP55 rating. The unit has the following dimensions: 744 x 907 x 206 mm, and weighs 97 kg. The data sheet can be found here

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Provided by the manufacturer

Replacement Components

Replaceable components include the battery, inverter, solar panels, mounts and wiring connections

Lifecycle

The battery is rated to last 6,000 cycles, and comes with a 10 year warranty. Users that purchase the Brightsave service package receive free full servicing.

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

The battery is designed to provide 8 - 12 hours of power for household overnight or in a blackout or power outage.

Vetted Performance Status

Testing performed by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency has reported that the battery under test experienced an accelerated capacity fade relative to the LG data sheets, which may be attributed to its lack of active cooling systems.

Safety

LG Chem has some safety guidelines for installing and operating the battery system used in the Sunrun Brightbox.

Complementary Technical Systems

The Sunrun brightbox requires solar production infrastructure to operate, and can be incorporated into existing solar system or installed with a new system.

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

None

Evaluation methods

This product has been evaluated for capacity degradation by certified third-party laboratories.

Other Information

LG has released an installation manual for the Energy Storage System (ESS) used in the Sunrun Brightbox. Battery Test Report