Another plug-in power product that can be self-installed is surging with momentum after securing a major investment.
Pila's inconspicuous, briefcase-sized Mesh Home Battery won't take up much space tucked away on a shelf or perched atop your refrigerator. But it could save the day during a blackout and store cheaper solar energy for later use.
It's also loaded with intelligence, according to the San Francisco company, which announced in the fall that it raised $4 million to scale the operation.
"We want to bring forward this notion that you don't have to compromise on the not-so-smart battery or overspend on the primo solution. This is a middle ground," Pila CEO Cole Ashman, a former Tesla engineer, told Canary Media.
He added that lowering the price point is crucial for the sector in the U.S.
Federal tax breaks that helped more people afford the tech ended Dec. 31. Solar and battery setups can cost over $40,000, depending on size and type, experts from EnergySage reported. The online resource has teamed with Qmerit's specialists to help customers get the best price on home battery installs.
Pila's product costs $1,299, and reservations for 2026 shipping are $99. That's cheaper than Tesla Powerwalls and other products. It's also far easier to use, as it simply plugs into an outlet, with no rewiring needed.
Refrigerators, other appliances, and devices plug into Pila directly. The battery can power a fridge for 32 hours and up to double that time with an expansion add-on, Ashman told The Cool Down in April.
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More packs — coming in four color options — can be added and paired around the house, forming a resilient network that will keep your tech running during an outage. The batteries can be configured to store energy generated by solar panels during the day, maximizing the use of the cleaner energy source. It's all managed with an app, per Pila.
Easy use might be the biggest boon, part of a plug-in trend in the industry geared to sidestep slow, annoying permitting that adds cost to standard setups. BioLite is an example of another "plug-and-play" energy storage making headlines.
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Not at all 🙅 The inventors see the creations as next-generation tech.
"You don't ask for permission to put in a new refrigerator," Ashman told Canary Media. "Why does this have to be any different?"
More states are passing policies that make it easier to use plug-in solar, reducing barriers for more customers to use fascinating panels that also operate with a standard outlet.
Home solar is a great way to limit or eliminate your utility bill. EnergySage provides competitive quotes, installer recommendations, and other tips that can secure significant savings. Efficient appliances such as heat pumps add to the benefits, and TCD's HVAC Explorer will help you find the right system at the right price for your home.
It all helps to reduce reliance on pollution-producing electricity sources. That's important because smog is a serious health detriment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency listed increased hospital visits and even premature death as air pollution-related health concerns, especially when large amounts are inhaled.
For Pila's part, the plan is for the batteries to eventually have regulatory permission to send power back to the grid, akin to virtual power plants. It's part of a smarter way to store and use energy, according to Ashman.
"Having an unintelligent battery in everything might be good for backup, but it doesn't help solve broader problems in the home or for energy," he told Canary Media.
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