Solar panels were not known for their aesthetic appeal, even though renewable energy is undoubtedly good for the environment.
However, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, revealed in October 2016 that his business intended to buy SolarCity, a manufacturer of solar panels. It launched solar roof tiles, which are significantly more appealing than conventional solar panels.
The “invisible” design of the Tesla solar roof is its distinguishing feature. Both the solar and non-generating tiles that Tesla uses have the same appearance from the ground up.
This means that the Tesla solar roof installation on your roof won’t change the way clean electricity is produced.
Specifications of the Tesla solar roof
The SR72T1 photovoltaic shingle, which has a rated power output of 71.67W, is the main building block of the Tesla solar roof.
The quantity of solar shingles a roofing company Colorado recommends for your roof is based on the amount of electricity your home consumes. It uses non-solar shingles for the remaining portion of your roof, which has a similar appearance to solar shingles.
For solar panels intended for household use, which typically range from 350W to 400W, you would need five or six Tesla shingles. It would create the same quantity of energy as one module if you were using high efficiency.
You could utilise 112 Tesla solar shingles in place of 20 conventional 400W panels for a property that needs an 8 kW solar power system.
Tesla holds the following accreditations:
- ASTM D3161 Class F wind rating
- ANSI FM 4473 Class 3 hail rating under
- NFPA Class A fire rating
How does the Tesla solar roof work?
The solar roof product from Tesla was created to resemble a conventional roof.
The sole distinction is that the shingles are photovoltaic, which means they produce solar power similarly to conventional solar panels. The goal was to create a solar roof that looked good in addition to being functional.
A roofing company Colorado replaces the old roof with both active and inactive shingles.
Solar cells embedded in active shingles capture solar radiation and convert it into electricity for your house. The inactive ones function exactly like standard shingles. They do not create any energy but hold out water, rain, hail, and other bad weather.
Tesla Solar Roof Vs. Solar Panel
- Cost
You must consider the size of your roof and your monthly electric bill when estimating the worth of a solar roof for you and your house. You will need more solar tiles on your roof than non-solar tiles if your electricity consumption increases, and vice versa.
Tesla developed a calculator to provide up-front estimates for their roof in order to assist you in better grasping the potential value of the solar roof.
However, these solar tile prices are roughly twice as expensive as some solar panels already on the market.
The main question now is whether the aesthetics of a solar roof are worth the additional money, given that a Tesla Solar Roof installation also necessitates a complete roof replacement.
- Efficiency
The average efficiency of solar panels in the market is roughly 16%, while Pick My Solar’s installers’ efficiency is about 19.5%. Therefore, even if the coloured coating on the solar tiles slightly reduces efficiency, the efficiency may still be comparable to that of ordinary solar modules.
There is no apparent winner when comparing the efficiency of Tesla’s solar roof against that of conventional solar panels. Be careful to choose the most efficient module you can if the roof space available for your home is restricted.
- Durability
According to Elon Musk, the Tesla Solar Roof is covered by an “infinity warranty” or for as long as your house is standing, whichever comes first.
Per a video taken inside a plant run by Tesla, it appears that solar tiles are more durable than solar panels made of tempered glass.
However, the average manufacturer’s warranty for standard solar panels is 25 years, and the panels often outlive the warranty. In contrast to the solar roof, the predicted lifetime of solar panels has also been field tested.
Pros of the Tesla solar roof
- Design
The design of solar panels and the Solar Roof differs most noticeably.
Tesla offers solar roof tiles in four different designs: textured, smooth, Tuscan, or slate. Your neighbours won’t even notice that you have solar panels on your home because the tiles look like a typical roof.
- Durability and warranty
Tempered glass, used to make Tesla roof tiles, is stronger than typical roofing materials. Moreover, Tesla offers an unlimited warranty to support the product’s durability.
Cons of Tesla solar roof
- Cost
Even if you don’t need a new roof, you must replace your entire roof in order to install Tesla’s Solar Roof. That implies that you are footing the bill for both a new roof and a solar energy installation.Champion Energy provides its clients with renewable energy choices with Champion Energy plans to help them meet their unique energy demands while also doing their part to reduce their own carbon footprints and slow the pace of global warming.
- Maintenance costs
The prices and procedures for maintenance remain unknown because the Tesla roof tiles are a novel product. The issue of how Tesla would fulfil its promise of an endless warranty for necessary repairs also has to be addressed.
- Poor ROI
The majority, if not all, of the dollars you save from lower energy bills are eaten up by the extra you pay for Tesla-branded roof tiles. The net consequence is that the investment must be profitable under ideal conditions.
However, with the Solar Roof, Tesla seeks to upsell you on a commodity you don’t need (a new roof), diminishing the return on your renewable power expenditure. Moreover, Hardware failure risks increase as the number of discrete parts increases.
Conclusion
Unquestionably beautiful, a Tesla Solar Roof will elevate your home’s aesthetic appeal above any of your neighbours, but the high cost is a major turnoff.
Therefore, you must calculate the costs and analyse your choices before making a choice.
Although the environmental benefit cannot be expressed in monetary terms, it is unquestionably present. And by switching to renewable energy, you may well encourage others in your neighbourhood to do the same.
