Panasonic and Pika Energy Provide Greater Access to Industry-leading Harbor™ Smart Battery Portfolio for Energy Storage

NEWARK, N.J., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic Eco Solutions of North America and Pika Energy today announced reduced pricing for the Harbor Smart Battery portfolio, providing solar system homeowners with more affordable access to industry-leading energy storage capacity¹ and increased independence from the grid. Reduced pricing of the Harbor Plus™ and Harbor Flex™ Smart Batteries is made possible due to Panasonic and Pika's robust supply chains as well as enhanced manufacturing capabilities and scale efficiencies achieved through increased consumer demand.

As new policies such as time-of-use rates are enacted, energy storage increasingly enables consumers to reduce their energy bills while also enjoying enhanced resiliency and peace of mind. However, the benefits of energy storage go beyond cost savings, as storage is a safeguard against grid outages, especially longer duration events caused by natural disasters. With recent wildfires, hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural or man-made disasters leaving communities without electricity for extended periods of time, energy storage is essential in certain regions and areas affected by severe weather events. It is expected that these cost reductions will accelerate the deployment of energy storage more quickly into these regions.

"The Panasonic and Pika partnership has yielded some of the highest-performing battery solutions in the industry," said Mukesh Sethi, general manager, solar and energy storage division at Panasonic. "Our mission is to provide efficient, reliable and secure power sources to those who need it most. The Harbor Plus™ and Harbor Flex™ Smart Batteries provide homeowners with access to stored energy in the face of a severe weather incident and extended grid outages."

The premium, solar-ready Harbor Plus Smart Battery is powered by six Panasonic Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) battery modules connected in series for built-in redundancy. This robust design coupled with 17.1 kWh of usable battery energy and up to 10 kW of AC output power can support homeowners for long-term grid outage and off-grid scenarios, and can also power heavy equipment such as well pumps and air conditioning units. Additionally, the Harbor Smart Battery System is optimized for 10 years plus of operation with daily usage, enabling homeowners to enjoy energy savings as well as deploy more power, efficiency and capability over the long term.¹

"In a market where manufacturers are driving up prices due to production challenges, we're able to leverage our partnership with Panasonic to deliver a high quality/robust product at the best cost," said Ben Polito, President and Co-founder of Pika Energy. "We are seeing an overwhelming surge in demand from storm-related incidents and we expect this move to rapidly expand the deployment of our systems into those regions."

The Harbor Plus and Flex Smart Batteries are available through a national network of distributors including Allied Solar Products, with distributors located in the U.S., including Puerto Rico and Canada. When used in conjunction with the Pika Energy Island and Panasonic solar modules HIT®, installers can offer homeowners a premium, industry-leading solar-plus-storage solution now at a more competitive price point.¹

"The Pika-Panasonic battery systems we carry have been extremely popular due to their superior power, performance and ease of installation," said David Jenkins, National Vice President of Allied Solar Products. "The cost competitiveness of the Pika-Panasonic solution will open up the market to a whole new set of customers, providing them an opportunity to access the most premium solar-plus-storage system available."

1. The Harbor Plus Smart Battery has an energy capacity of 17.1kWh and can supply >10kW for 5 minutes.

About Panasonic Corporation of North America 
Newark, NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America is a leading technology partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies and consumers across the region. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation and leverages its strengths in Immersive Entertainment, Sustainable Energy, Integrated Supply Chains and Mobility Solutions to enable its business-to-business customers. Panasonic was highlighted in Forbes Magazine's Global 2000 ranking as one of the Top Ten Best Regarded Companies for 2017.  The ranking is based on outstanding scores for trustworthiness, honesty with the public and superior performance of products and solutions. Learn more about Panasonic's ideas and innovations at www.na.panasonic.com/us.

About Pika Energy, Inc.
Pika Energy, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of U.S.-made direct current (DC) power electronics. Headquartered in Westbrook, Maine, Pika Energy's award-winning products include bi-directional islanding inverters, battery power converters and solar optimizers. All Pika Energy products are powered by the REbus™ DC Nanogrid. Pika Energy's products enable building owners to collect, store and self-consume energy from clean sources. Learn more at www.pika-energy.com.

SOURCE Panasonic Corporation of North America

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