The electric-car maker currently lists 78 open jobs on its website for the storage team, including chief counsel, several engineers, an installation project manager, and a regulatory and policy advocate. 

"The business unit will be a multi-billion dollar per year one in the near term and the fast-growing team is adding top team members for engineering, business and sales," according to Tesla's job description for one of the roles. 

Khobi Brooklyn, a spokeswoman for the Palo Alto-based company, declined to elaborate and said via email that Tesla plans to share more information about its energy-storage plans in the next few months.

Energy innovation has been fundamental to Tesla's success from its early days selling battery packs to Toyota Motor and Daimler, to the construction of the world's largest battery factory near Reno, Nevada. When the site reaches full production in 2020, it will more than double the world's supply of versatile and powerful lithium-ion batteries, Tesla has said. Beyond allowing for production of a more affordable electric car, the batteries will provide backup power for homes and businesses and eventually meet wholesale energy demands.