Mercedes-Benz Energy Storage branches out to US

German carmaker Daimler AG (ETR:DAI) on Wednesday said it is expanding its stationary energy storage business to the US market, with initial product launches expected early next year.

The company has set up a new subsidiary, Mercedes-Benz Energy Americas LLC, which will be responsible for the development and sales of stationary energy systems in North America. Boris von Bormann, a former chief executive for Sonnen Inc, will be in charge of the branch.

The first Mercedes-Benz storage product to debut on North-American market early 2017 will be a modular residential battery, ranging in size from 2.5 kWh to up to 20 kWh, for uses such as back-up power and solar self-consumption. The residential offering will be followed by larger systems for commercial and industrial customers.

"Mercedes Benz Energy is uniquely positioned to not only offer solutions to the energy and storage market that will help utilities, businesses and home-owners save costs and solve needs, but also combine the advantages of electric vehicles and energy solutions into one holistic platform," said Boris von Bormann.

Around US electric vehicle maker Tesla Motors Inc's (NASDAQ:TSLA) acquisition of SolarCity (NASDAQ:SCTY) there has been much talk recently about a combined clean energy offering to customers, encompassing electric cars, storage and solar. A recent survey in the US by the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC) revealed that roughly one-half of consumers who have a solar photovoltaic (PV) system also have an electric vehicle (EV), and vice versa.

Daimler entered the stationary battery storage business last year. It presented its home battery at Intersolar in Munich in June 2015.

As the company aims to grow the number of electric vehicles in its portfolio, it is investing a total of EUR 1 billion (USD 1.1bn) in the expansion of its global battery production network, including some EUR 500 million in the construction of a second battery factory in Kamenz, Saxony.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.109)

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