The Tesla Energy business continued to expand during the third quarter of 2023, reaching a new record level thanks to the battery energy storage system (BESS) deployment.
According to the company, in Q3, Tesla Energy generation and storage revenues increased by 40 percent year-over-year to $1.559 billion (6.7% of the total revenues), while the cost of revenues stands at $1.178 billion.
Tesla Energy Storage – Q3 2023
Tesla reports that its BESS deployment almost doubled year-over-year to a new record of 3,980 megawatt-hours (MWh) or 3.98 gigawatt-hours (GWh).
So far this year, the volume exceeded 11.5 GWh, which is already more than in all of 2022 and 2021 combined.
Tesla battery energy storage system deployment last quarter (YOY change):
- Q3'2023: 3,980 MWh (up 90%)
- Q1-Q3'2023: 11,522 MWh (up 182%)
Tesla explains that the "Continued growth in deployments was driven by the ongoing ramp of our Megafactory in Lathrop, CA toward full capacity of 40 GWh with the phase two expansion. Production rate improved further sequentially in Q3."
The Megapack factory (Megafactory) in Lathrop, California (announced in 2021) will significantly increase the BESS output, contributing 10 GWh per quarter on average (once completed).
With another such plant in Shanghai - potentially around 40 GWh/year (assuming around 10,000 Megapack units) - which is expected to come online in Q2 2024, the BESS segment should quickly expand. It is highly probable that Tesla will build a similar plant in Europe at some point in the future.
Tesla offers three main types of ESS products (all numbers tentative/might change with future product iterations):
- Powerwall 2 for home installations (13.5 kWh usable / 7 kW peak / 5 kW continuous per unit)
[the new Powerwall 3: 13.5 kWh / 11.5 kW of continuous power output] - Powerpack for commercial installations (Up to 232 kWh / Up to 130 kW per unit)
- Megapack (3 MWh units the largest project by utilities)
Earlier this year, Tesla Powerwall installations surpassed 500,000 units globally, while the company officially launched the third generation of the product, which is called Powerwall 3.
Tesla Solar – Q3 2023
However, in the case of the solar business (conventional panels and Solar Roof), the results continue to decrease.
In Q3, the volume was cut in half (down 48 percent year-over-year) to 49 megawatts (MW). It was one of the weakest quarters in recent years and it seems that Tesla struggles to expand this segment of the business.
The official explanation is that "Sustained high-interest rates and the end of net metering in California have created downward pressure on solar demand."
Tesla solar (conventional panels and Solar Roof) deployment last quarter (YOY change):
- Q3'2023: 49 MWh (down 48%)
- Q1-Q3'2023: 182 MWh (down 27%)
Tesla's solar solutions:
Solar Roof
Tesla remains silent in its quarterly report about the Solar Roof installation progress. The Solar Roof is produced at Gigafactory 2 in New York.
