No, 'cause we already got regular old solar panels installed years before solar roof tiles began hitting the news. Would we have gone with solar roof tiles given the chance? I'm honestly not sure.
No. I already have Solar City solar panels on the roof. Besides, we are not made of money and this roofing system, although excellent in its own right, is just way out of our budget. We were able to put on the standard solar panels essentially for free and free is about what we can afford.
Hold on, if you line just the edges of the roof with RGB roof tiles, you can have programmable Christmas lights that you never have to take down. Thing is, some cities might have ordinances that forbid having Christmas lights past a certain date, so do you have to disassemble the entire roof for that?
Great video - please try to do a quick follow-up segment with him after it's installed and running. I am very curious to see real-world results in terms of power production.
For an average 2,467 square feet home using 70% solar tiles on the roof it set you back 58,200$ with a power wall. So farmer will continu to use traditional solar panel.
Abendschnee. This is two years late, and this owner contracted the roof over a year ago, and it is just now installed. It was significantly more expensive than Musk predicted in his big press show in 2015, where he said it would be available soon. The homeowner has paid for it and it is still not hooked up to produce energy. So I wouldn't hold my breath for quick distribution in the EU or UK. Musk has good ideas and the products end up nice but they are ALWAYS extremely late and much more expensive than suggested at show time.
As a dutch person, i am shocked you say this as a german. I thought Germans where smarter... This is too expensive and in Germany you can get like 5x more electricity for this price. My faith in you germans get less and less. The quality of your cars go down more and more. The glory times of the 90's are going away. Such a shame.
Awesome!. I will put solar roof panels on my future house, power wall and a car charger. Not necessarily in that order but I plan on going green as much as I can. That roof looks very nice.
I’m building a new house after *Hurricane Irma* came through and kicked my and my 100 year old house’s collective asses... 11 days without power in the *_very_* hot SW Florida summer is something I *_never_* want to go through again. I’ve designed the new house with a large south face sloped at the same angle as my latitude and will have a Tesla SolarRoof (the tile looking one) with two PowerWalls and several other whizbang electricity storage devices and a massive increase in the insulation value... I’ll never suffer a blackout again !!
yes I will go solar when i build my next house - its time to give the electricity companies the flick and move into a new phase of living. I don't think solar is going to be the final new way of powering homes but it is a start in the right direction. Probably wont be Tesla but they look great, I live in Australia so if USA people are having to wait ages, Australia has no hope any time soon. We have a couple of companies who do integrated soar roofs so I will go with that.
What about the solar shack with a charger as well? They were advertising this once in my country in 2014...it was an agricultural event and they said u could have this at ur house in the summer and the car would be under this open a hack with a solar pannels for rofe that charged the tesla... It was cool xD
I want to say, "Africa do Sol". Basically, we have more sun here in South Africa than we need. I want this for my nation. This would be true economic freedom for all South Africans.
yes i wanted to hear about the new tesla solar roof and i hope one day ill be able to afford tesla products myself and im glad people are taking the first steps into creating a demand for tesla technology soon it will be affordable for the average consumer
Tesla Energy has a competitor heading their way called Forward Lab's who claim a 3-in-1 tile function, half the price and half the install time...prices will drop rapidly in the next 1-2 years IMHO.
Christopher Casey competition is not actually something tesla fears but rather embraces. If more companies jump into the industry, then the move for renewable/sustainable energy is shown at a greater variety to the public, and thus reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. Even if a company manages to “bankrupt” tesla with one of their own products, Elon wouldn’t care since his mission is the global transition to cleaner/renewable sources of energy.
Christopher Casey I never intended to quote you in the first place. Just making possibilities on what could happen based on your statement (lowered prices) and what Tesla’s mindset would be.
larry Spiller I really loathe being misquoted... What I stated was that it was a 'Claim' that it was 3-in-1 function and half TEH price of Telsa's Tiles... And why would they not know what they can sell them for now? Tesla pre-announce the Model-3 with a price.....But I guess they really did not know the price... Tesla pre-annpounced the Tesla Semi with a price...for 2 models.......But I guess they really don't know the price yet... Hey you do know in the 21st Century with modern manufacturing techniques and analytical software for this process you can quite easily predict the COGS for new products under develepment so you can have a real business plan so you can raise moeny and invest in the business and from that determine a marketable sell price for your product....Not actually that hard. But...maybe you don't know that !!
I have considered the benefits of a Tesla roof in my house in Pagosa Springs, Co. We get a lot of snow in the Winter and I believe that a smooth roof would be the best option I have seen for heavy snowfall. All the roofs I have seen are plagued by ice dams that tear up the roof as they slide down like a glacier. The Tesla roof on the other hand, I think might be impervious to the damage. First as the ice (snow) moves down (or across the roof especially in valley areas) There would be NO ridges to impede the flow. Also thawing and refreezing would have no damaging effect. I don't whether I am not more interest in the resistance to ice (glacier) damage than I am power production
It is so cool to see one of the first installations of this new tech! I am starting to feel like I can imagine living in a new world in the not too distant future where we will not have air pollution any more, and we will live off of clean energy, in a cleaner environment! I just hope we get there sooner rather than later! Right now environmental pollution is still a huge issue.
Those glass roof tiles look like they will last over 100 years compared to asphalt shingles that last 12 to 15 years. That alone could be a purchase factor.
never understand the American thing with shingles. Is it just cheap? or is there some other advantage to shingles? it seems completly weird ripping the roof off your house every 12-15 years. The last house we bought was old when we got it, lived there 30 years, 8 years later still there same roof.
I think this would have been a better interview if you highlighted a few key points. 1. How much was the install/cost of the panels? 2. How much electricity will be generated. 3. Estimated payoff date via electricity savings
Definitely planning on a solar roof but will wait until it becomes a little more affordable. Waiting to configure my Model 3...electric/solar is the way to go. The roof looks amazing!!!
I saw 3 power packs. Will this system cover all of his usage? I'm just wondering how close we are to using solar panels to be totally off grid using standard appliances and such using only roof space. He does seem to have a lot of roof area.
I think Tesla's solar roof is the most elegant approach to solar powering a home that I have seen so far - the traditional panels are so clunky and clumsy looking to me. I am, however, always leery of new technology and the inevitable issues that arise and need to be ironed out. We are a good 10 years from needing a new roof, so it will be interesting to see what the pricing, incentive programs, system efficiency and durability reflect in that span of time. Additionally, I don't believe the Tesla roof is even available in my area just yet.
Im on PG&E also. He made a good move.. thier rates are horrible. I have a concrete tile roof, so panels were my choice. Plus cheaper. What size system does he have?
I guess with PG&E there will be a long drawn out process in catching up with Tesla Solar Roofs. PG&E has old managers who just don't learn the new stuff quickly if at all. Good find and video.
Great video. Good balance of excitement about the new tech and honest expectation setting of the cost and return. It will be cheaper if the future but we need the excited first adopters to support product development now. Congrats on the new roof...looks great.
I am on the waiting list as well. Well worth the wait, we are making the future ! Imagine if we all could install these roofs, we could power the entire world with solar. Florida Power and Light with their lobbies are keeping me in Miami from having a solar roof because that takes away from their business ! That’s monopoly....right? Tesla lawyers are at work to bring this to us, keep going Tesla, we got your back !
How about some specs on the system? The three powerwalls would provide around 40kwh of storage. it would take a 6-8k dc system to charge those everyday depending on reserve settings for most of the year. What type of inverter is used for the PV and how does it compare to a modern system with 72 cell panels and DC optimization? what kind of energy density per sq. foot? looks great but can the energy density compare to modules?
E for Electric Would love some follow-up on this! Would be interesting to see installed effect vs actual production. Also, some cost-analysis would be interesting. This is of course not profitable for a long time if you are not in need of a new premium roofs. But some people do spend a lot of money on "dumb roofs", so if one is one of those, it will absolutely make sense. Would also like to know how the house is aligned, and what percentage of the tiles that have PV in them. Great episode, really looking forward to more! I subscribed
One of the problems with the current California forest fires is that the roofs of homes catch fire which then spreads to the rest of the house. If a house had a Tesla solar roof, would it resist fire?
Three questions Alex, 1. whats the kilowatt size for all that roof? 2. How much did it cost? and 3 what's the payback? Is there any pay back period for a roof like that?
So this is only feasible for very wealthy neighborhoods where new housing is raising the water levels due to massive basements, so this would be an alternative generator to keep the sump pump running.. Most common issue in these towns are basement floodings. Hinsdale, IL if your house is older then 20 years old it's a tear down.
Its a good idea, especially if it doesn't cost much more than a conventional roof. However, I don't understand the idea of putting these up without considering the solar angle on which the energy system relies on. I believe solar roof is a very good idea for some homes with south facing facades. On the other hand I wonder whether its worth to cover all surfaces with different aspects. I mean the back of this house in the video might not even get any sun that would be relevant for energy production.
I would get them if I needed a new roof and was planning on living in the home a long time. Unless it becomes proven that the house becomes worth significantly more afterwards its just so much upfront. Investing that 50k or whatever elsewhere would bring you in more money. still looks cool
BIPV (Buit IN PhotoVoltaic) systems are not new, there have been commercial systems for years. But residential systems have not been very successful yet. Let's hope Tesla is successful with this. My own home has two solar PV systems. I installed a small 1 kW roof system in 1999 to offset my peak electrical use. This system has worked well for years - my electric bill has been around $300/ year for most of the time this system existed. Since I am in a rural area my house was built with propane used for space heating and hot water. I had wanted to make my home "Net Zero" for some time so last year I installed a 3.1 kW ground mounted PV system. With this system and the eventual conversion of my home space heating system to a heat pump I should be free of electric and propane bills. Last month I swapped my old propane water heater for a heat pump electric water heater. I also have planned a 40 amp circuit in my garage for an electric car level 2 charger in the near future. However ,the existing solar systems will offset the home's energy use and maybe some electric car use. One electric car, if driven 15000 miles per year would use 3800 kWH of energy which would take the bulk (half or so) of most home sized solar PV systems...
I have Nissan Leaf and it does take 12-15h on 120VAC x12A = 1.44kW..Means it sucks from grid 1.44kW x 15h=21.6 kWh per one charge, assuming charging every day 21.6 x 365 days = 7884 kWh a year. Moneywise here 11 cents per kWh so 7884kWh x 0.11 = $ 867.24 and that's exactly what I would pay a year for driving Leaf every day around 70 miles a day..Gasoline car comparison ?! 70 miles x 365 = 25550 miles a year.Gas price here is $2.76 assuming old average sedan 25 MPG. 25550 : 25 = 1022 Gallons x $ 2.75 = $2,810.50 for gasoline a year... So $2,810.50 - $867.24 = $1,943.26 to my pocket every year..But I do gain 100% And not paying a penny,because I'm charging my Leaf from solar arrays,so I drive completely free...LOL
In terms of charging efficiency as well as miles/kWH the Nissan Leaf is somewhat less efficient than the Tesla model 3. Also note that your car charger draws current based on the state of charge of your battery- when the battery is near 100% the charge rate slows down considerably. Also the level 1 chargers have more losses than level 2 chargers. The older 3.2 kW Nissan Leaf chargers were also not as efficient as the newer 7.2 kW chargers. You would need to accurately meter the energy used by your car charger over a year to see the actual energy used by the vehicle.( at least when charging at home).
We really need a lot more information about the solar roof, but as the owner said, unless you have money to burn, this does not make sense at this point in time. How are they installed? How are the strings arranged? How many kw does it produce throughout a typical day with the shading from the tree and the roof? What was the cost before and after tax credit?
Owner mentioned the premium aspect. The solar upgrade on the glass tile roofing is comparable to normal panels. Most cost is for the unsolar aspect of those shingles.
Excellent work Alex. I have been interested in this solar roof for quite some time because of the amazing specs: infinity warranty basically. Nice to see it out in the wild. Looks great. I think the house will fall down before the roof wears out. Once they can get the cost down a little bit and get to production up quite a bit I can envision a day in my lifetime where it will be unusual to build a house without an integrated solar roof. If for no other reason than the outstanding durability of the roof, Plus, it will pay for itself over time due to the integrated solar. I think this, along with the battery products, are a huge portion of incoming money for Tesla in the coming decades. When you add up all of the different sectors that Tesla is disrupting and how well they are doing that disruption Tesla could easily be the most valuable company ever in the history of all companies within a few decades. They are innovating like crazy in the automotive sector, in the trucking sector, and in the renewable energy sector with the batteries and solar roof and solar panels. Energy storage will be huge in the future and Tesla is on The Cutting Edge. When taken individually each one of these industries offers some of the most profitable and Wealthy Industries on the planet, but when taken in the aggregate the amount of potential here is unbelievable. The only drawback is I wish it could happen faster.
Aaron Bounds How can you know that the roof is durable ? And how tesla can become the most valuable company if they give their patents away ? What is there advantage vs chineese competition ?
What happens in case of a fire and firefighters need to vertically ventilate the roof? Are they easily removable in case of emergency? Is there extra weight on the structure now that can overload the house?
Ha, reminds me the time when we were asked to document one relative simple AV installation. The installation took 6h, documentation and testing 5 days. A good deal for the customer :-D
cool, but I would like to know some economical fact, if you have them, like: 1) how much does it cost, for how big a roof? 2) how much energy, can it produce a year? 3) Is there a system, where you can sell the excess energy, to the grid?
The house I bought got a new metal roof in 2012. So in a few years from now I will be replacing it with a Tesla solar roof. Hopefully by then they will have the process all figured out and the price will come down.
Now people can not complain about still needing power plants that burn coal to refuel. Plus everything now at home. Juice up the car, give back to the grid and throw a switch if have a blackout. Full integration.
Solar panels do degrade over time most likely by uses. How efficient will it be to identify the panels which are starting to have reduced output and need replacing? And how well do these solar roof panels recycle?
I like the idea, but this is probably like the Tesla Roadster... looks great (Lotus made that happen though) but had some teething problems. I think (and hope) you can get a good statistic on every tile performance and if its bad just (easily) replace them with a non solar variant and then resell them. So max performance could be achieved over the course of 1-2 years. And with that you could replace the panels that "gone bad". Anyway... a great idea!
Alex, please keep in touch with this guy so we can find out what it is like when it is approved and turned on. I can't wait to see what his electricity bills are like and how much he is able to generate.
How durable is the product as a roof? Is it brittle? How durable is it as a power source? Do these lifespans match? As it stand now, I would prefer a somewhat lower tech i.e. passive solar, batch water heater, a reverse chimney to draw in cooler air, with solar panels on the garage, an air exchange system, and getting off of the grid. Anyway, it is early days on this specific solution. Then there is the issue of property taxes vs taxes on electric company power. Moreover, in another 25 years there may well be another paradigm shift due to fusion coming on line.
Thank you for this exciting interview! Do you have any figures on this customer’s roof energy output in KWs and whether he opted for the storage batteries and wall mounts to charge his vehicles? Thanks again!👍
