Tesla says Australian utility Origin to market solar battery

By Matt Siegel

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) on Thursday listed Australia's largest power and gas retailer Origin Energy as one of the distributors for its solar battery storage product which the company is launching globally in two other countries.

Australia has the world's highest per capita penetration of rooftop solar technology, and Tesla's Powerwall is part of a green power system the company launched in May that would allow consumers to use solar panels to power their homes and recharge electric car batteries.

Tesla also announced other Powerwall distributors in Australia, where soaring electricity prices, high solar panel uptake and plenty of sunshine make an ideal market for solar battery storage products.

"Tesla Energy is working with solar installers, electricity retailers and network providers to sell Powerwall in Australia. This allows for customer choice and great reach to all interested households," Tesla spokesman Heath Walker said.

Origin CEO Frank Calabria said the company would bundle the Powerwall with solar panels from Chinese firm Trina Solar Ltd (NYSE: TSL) and inverters from Israel-based SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ: SEDG) to form a "turnkey home energy solution".

The product will be available for installation from February 2016, he said in a statement.

Natural Solar, one of Australia's largest solar power installers, was named as an initial partner.

"We see this opportunity as a chance to educate the public on this ground-breaking technology and more. Australians are among the world's early adopters of renewable energy technology," Natural Solar Managing Director Chris Williams said in a statement.

More than 15 percent of Australia's 8.4 million households have rooftop solar technology, Energy Supply Association of Australia figures show.

Tesla is also launching the Powerwall in Germany and the United States.

(Editing by Stephen Coates)

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