Energy Rate Plans
The Tesla app allows you to add your energy rate plan for more accurate value calculation estimates and system optimisation. Rate plans, also known as energy tariffs, generally determine how much you pay for your electricity from your energy provider. One of the benefits of solar paired with Powerwall is reduced energy consumption from the grid, resulting in lower energy bills. Having an accurate rate plan helps your Tesla app calculate and maximise your savings.
Tesla App Features
The Time-Based Control feature uses your rate plan and machine learning to optimise how your Powerwall charges and discharges. This helps maximise the energy generation and lower the cost of energy consumption, often referred to as load shifting.
The Energy Value cards estimate the amount of energy generated by your solar system. These values are calculated based on the time of day and amount of solar generation, energy consumption and energy exported to the grid, in addition to value generated by load shifting.
Custom Rate Plans
Take advantage of new features by entering in your retail energy plan details. This helps improve the accuracy of the Time-Based Control and Energy Value found in the Tesla app. Elements of a custom rate plan are outlined in the table below:
| ELEMENT | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Flat Rate | Some rate plans may use flat rates, where the cost of your energy does not change based on the time of day. |
| Time Periods | Your energy price may differ throughout the day based on energy supply and demand. Periods are typically referred to as "Off-Peak," or "Peak" (higher-priced periods with higher energy demand). |
| Seasons | Energy providers may adjust energy pricing across seasons to account for energy supply and demand shifts. |
| Weekends | Some rate plans may have special weekend schedules, such as a “Shoulder” period, used when energy is at the lowest demand during the week. Weekends refer to Saturday and Sunday. |
| Pricing | Your rate will have the cost of importing (buying) or exporting (selling) energy. |
| Feed-in Tariff | A feed-in tariff (FiT) is an element of a rate plan for selling excess solar energy back to the grid at a flat rate, often at a lower value than the cost of buying energy. |
Setting Up a Custom Rate Plan
Step 1: From the home screen, open the ‘Settings’ menu and have your latest energy bill available to input your rates.
Step 2: Tap ‘Energy Retailer Rates.’
Step 3: Tap ‘Start,’ or if your system already has a rate plan, tap ‘Start Over.’
Step 4: Tap ‘More Options.’
Step 5: Tap ‘Custom Rate Plan.’
Step 6: Enter your ‘Energy Retailers Name’ name and ‘Rate Plan Name'.
Step 7: Select either ‘Time of Use’ or ‘Seasons’ depending on your rate pricing structure.
Step 8: If your rate uses ‘Time of Use,’ tap ‘rate periods’ and drag the slider to edit time periods. Tap ‘Add Time Period’ to add a new period. Multiple peak periods are supported. Repeat this step for weekends.
Step 9: If your rate uses ‘Seasons,’ set your season using the handles. Use ‘+’ or ‘–‘ to remove Seasons. Up to three seasons are currently supported. Enter the ‘rate pricing’ for this season. You can set a unique ‘buy’ and ‘sell’ price for each time period, depending on your rate plan.
Step 10: Repeat steps 8 and 9 to account for all time periods and seasons.
Step 11: Review the summary screen, and then tap ‘Save.’
Feature Availability
Adding a rate plan, viewing the Solar and Energy Value cards and using Time-Based Control for rate plans requires Tesla app version 4.2.0 or later. Additionally, some rate plans have elements that require Powerwall Firmware 21.39.
