Bluetti Balco plug-in storage launch: From the Eiffel Tower to a balcony near you

Bluetti has launched its plug-in storage solution it calls its new Balco series, with a product announcement taking place on the 1st floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, plus a ‘one-more-thing’ add-on with a new idea for integrating portable storage.

The world of balcony solar and storage continues to grow, with the list of solutions and new ideas expanding almost by the week.

Bluetti, the Chinese manufacturer of storage solutions, is well known for portable batteries. However, it is making its first major move into balcony storage or plug-in storage in Europe, and may expand further.

Shirley Tang, global marketing director for the company, told ESS News it has spent some two years working on its more fixed, plug-in storage options, hiring dedicated engineers and AI researchers to perfect its strategy.

The outcome is the Balco series of plug-in storage options, with modular and expandable storage, including the Balco 260 and Balco 500, each complying with the 800 W grid feed-in cap. Bluetti is marketing the range as “simple smart savings”, with LFP batteries.

The Bluetti Balco 260 is a 2.56 kWh battery, expandable up to 15 kWh. It delivers up to 2,300 W total output via its off-grid outlet, with four MPPTs to take in up to 2,400 W of solar generation. The unit measures 476 mm × 260 mm × 336.3 mm and weighs 28.5 kg.

The Balco 500 steps up the numbers, with 5 kWh energy storage, expandable up to 30 kWh with additional batteries, and has a higher-voltage MPPT design (60V–450V), capturing a maximum of 4,300W solar. It can deliver up to 3.7 kW would be possible at the off-grid output.The system measures 450 mm × 190 mm × 580 mm and weighs 65 kg.

Both offer 10-year warranties and IP65 ratings for outdoor and indoor water and dust protection.

Bluetti opted for a smart solution for adding storage throughout a house. Both Balco 260 and Balco 500 can be connected anywhere in a household, allowing up to six systems to be connected and to be placed directly in a laundry or garage, next to appliances such as washing machines or fridges, and more. Via WiFi connectivity, when networked together, they can provide necessary power for appliances at their off-grid outputs, while simultaneously ensuring that no more than the legally mandated 800 W is fed into the household or public grid.

Doing so requires some element of smart meter functionality to measure energy feed-in and household consumption. Bluetti also launched its own smart meter, which it calls the S Meter, while there’s compatibility with Shelly smart meters, including the 3EM, and others. The S Meter is said to be an “industry-first magnetic smart meter, which attaches to the electricity meter, which enables true plug-in installation for beginners.

Bluetti is betting on offering a higher-end product, offering a silicon carbide inverter for a 96.1% efficiency, which is a large step in improved efficiency over others in the market. In addition, the company indicated continuous efforts to improve software, rolling out updates for security and functionality.

Image: ESS News

Bluetti Balco series pricing and availability

Those with balcony solar and those looking for a new solution both have options. Brand new, the Balco 260 will cost €849, and the larger Balco 500 will cost €1,599.

A BC-260 battery for modular storage expansion will cost €679. Availability begins immediately, with shipping beginning in June.

Image: ESS News

Balco Transfer: The one more thing launch product

A surprise at the launch was the Balco Transfer. This device essentially allows any existing portable power station to connect to a balcony solar system with a compliant grid-tied microinverter solution. While it is of course compatible with Bluetti solutions, it will also work with any third-party storage option as well.

Boiling it down further: anyone who already owns a station can use it for plug-in solar/storage, meaning it can now do far more than just wait for your next camping adventure. That’s a useful innovation, and priced at €349, it does offer a cheaper way for retrofitting storage into an existing PV setup.

Bluetti’s Shirley Tang told ESS News the Balco Transfer shows the company’s ambitions now that it is more focused on the sector.

“Because we came to the market later, we chose to invest much more heavily in R&D. Two years ago, we hired highly professional, dedicated balcony solar R&D engineers to overhaul our hardware, software, architecture, and smart app,” she said.

“Now, we have launched a highly competitive, comprehensive ecosystem: the Balco 260 and Balco 500 systems, alongside the Balco Transfer Hub. The Transfer Hub is a major differentiator. For €349, it allows users to turn any traditional portable power station, not just BLUETTI units, but also competitors like Jackery, Anker, or EcoFlow, into a fully functional, grid-tied balcony solar system. We also developed our own smart metering to make the whole solution highly distinct from our competitors. Our smart app also integrates seamlessly with ecosystems like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Home Assistant. We believe we have all aspects covered, and this is just the beginning.”