Tesla’s Powerwall home battery recently won the Smart Energy Excellence Award given by in Japan. Elon Musk’s auto company doesn’t usually get recognition for its other works, like the Powerwall, its Self-driving chip, and other technological innovations. So it’s nice to see that another facet of Tesla is being recognized.

Tesla won the 2019 Smart Energy Excellence award on November 20, during the ET&IoT Technology 2019 event which was held in Pacifico, a convention center in the city of Yokohama, Japan. Tesla Powerwalls may have won the award thanks to its affordability and functionality, two factors that are important to the Japanese.

競合に比べて約1/3の価格であることや、FIT切れによる太陽光発電の自家消費ニーズの増大という状況を考えると、家庭用蓄電池の国内市場を一気に拡大させる可能性を秘めていることを高く評価https://t.co/KRdsKwiuIN

— テスラ (@teslamotorsjp) November 28, 2019

According to the official website for the event, a Tesla Powerwall with a storage capacity of 13.5kWh costs 990,000 yen in Japan, about USD$9K. Compared to its competitors, the price for Powerwalls is cheaper by a third. In addition, a normal four-person household in Japan can live for almost an entire day with 13.5kWh. The other function of a Tesla Powerwall was recognized as well, such as the possibility to make a Virtual Power Plant with multiple units.

Tesla Energy gets little attention from media and recognition for its achievements. So, it's nice to see Japan appreciate the work of that part of Elon Musk’s auto company. Despite its lack of attention, Tesla Energy continues to work hard to deliver its solar panels and batteries worldwide. The company’s battery storage units have reached as far as Africa, but, Tesla Energy is particularly making strides in Australia.

Credit: Tesla

There is already a working Virtual Power Plant in South Australia that uses Powerwalls. Tesla is working with the Australian government on the project. The Tesla-powered VPP proved its worth recently when a coal-powered peaker plant failed to function. The Virtual Power Plant was only 2 percent complete, but it was able to stabilize the grid and keep the power flowing throughout many households.

Then there Elon Musk’s Big Battery in Hornsdale. It was initially mocked by quite a few politicians in Australia. They didn’t think Tesla’s Powerpacks—which are much bigger battery storage units—would help the energy crisis in the area at the time. However, Musk and Tesla Energy proved the dissenting voices wrong. Earlier this month, the South Australian government confirmed that they were expanding the Hornsdale Power Reserve by 50 percent.