How Much Is Tesla Solar

Scenario : Youre Interested In Going Solar And Also Need To Replace Your Roof

While this is a less common scenario, it may fit you if your current roof is coming up on the end of its useful life. This scenario may also fit you if youre in the process of building a new home from scratch, and havent picked out your roofing material yet. In this scenario, unlike the first one, you are on the market and actively shopping for both a new roof and a solar panel installation.

If this description fits you better, Teslas Solar Roof may make more financial sense. In this case, you have the option of either replacing your roof first and then installing traditional solar panels, or combining both actions with the installation of a Tesla Solar Roof.

In our example, lets assume a $5 per square foot cost for an asphalt shingle roof replacement for your home in California. Based on these criteria, lets see how your new solar panel and roof replacement will compare to a new Tesla Solar Roof, based on varying roof size:

So, in this case, the cost of new solar panels and the cost of a roof replacement and a new Tesla Solar Roof are most comparable if your roof is only 1,500 square feet. However, as explained above, its important to note that your ROI will likely still be lower because the efficiency of the Tesla Solar Roof is probably lower than that of solar panels and your system size is smaller meaning your electricity bill wont go down as much as it could.

Tesla Solar Roof: How It All Came Together

In January 2021, Nochta switched on his new roof. His 1,175-square-foot roof has enough solar-harvesting tiles to generate 7.6 kilowatts of power. The Tesla Solar Roof uses a mix of solar tiles and dummy tiles the latter used at the edge of the installation to enable teams to more easily cut edge tiles down to size and fit the roof seamlessly to the house.

Nochta first installed solar panels on his house in 2016, supplied by SolarCity. SolarCity merged with Tesla later that year.

The first installation was less than three kilowatts â not much energy, which meant the couple was using slightly more than they produced. But as the household grew to add children and parents, Nochta discovered it was surprisingly difficult to expand the existing solar panel system to add more capacity. The new panels would have to work as part of a dual system, with two inverters feeding into the house.

These inverters are vital for getting solar power into the home. As Energy.gov explains, they convert the panelsâ direct current electricity â with a single voltage in one direction â into the alternating current used in homes where the voltage moves between positive and negative.

âI think the people hate me at Tesla.â

Nochta had âa couple of friends that do roofsâ and they estimated it would cost $8,000 to $10,000 to replace the roof. Including new solar panels would cost another $10,000 to $15,000.

See a video of Nochtaâs installation below:

Incentives Or Rebates: Does Tesla Powerwall Qualify

Your Tesla Powerwall qualifies for solar rebates only if it is coupled with a solar panel system. Considering that Tesla sells their Powerpacks in combination with a solar panel system, an average home can get the incentives or rebates for the Powerwall as well. On the other hand, if you purchase your Tesla Powerwall through a Tesla Certified installer, you may not be eligible for rebates and incentives.

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Is The Tesla Powerwall Worth The Cost

Yes, the Tesla Powerwall is worth the cost if you are looking for a durable solar battery that can withstand indoor and outdoor conditions. The Powerwall is water-resistant, and dust-proof keeping it safe from rain and other elements. This battery can operate in up to 100% humidity and temperatures ranging from -4 degrees Fahrenheit to 122 degrees.

For example, customers were shocked at how well their Powerwall systems functioned during Hurricane Ian. The hurricane brought 155 mph winds and 10 feet of water to some areas in Florida. After being underwater for hours, the Powerwall continued to function as expected.

If your Powerwall is not working correctly, contact customer service through the Tesla mobile app, chat with an agent online, or other options listed on their site.

How Many Solar Panels Are Needed To Charge A Tesla Powerwall 2

When calculating the solar energy needed to charge a Tesla Powerwall 2, itâs the rating of the panels in your solar PV system as much as the number of panels that determine how much energy they can generate to charge the battery storage system. The ratings of your panels, when added together, give a number of kW that can feed into the Powerwall battery, but some of this electricity will also be used by your building at the same time.

For example, a fairly large residential 4 kW solar array could produce around 20 kWh of electricity on an average sunny summer day, which would be enough to fully charge a Tesla Powerwall 2 and run your home. A Powerwall can run an average home throughout spring, summer and autumn, and for even longer if your demand is low.

At times of the year with less hours of light and sunshine, the same solar array might only produce about a quarter of the kWh that it does in the summer, which usually means that you will need to use more electricity from the grid, along with your Tesla Powerwall 2.

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Tesla Solar Panels Review: Cheaper Than Other National Players

Tesla offers a price match guarantee but, according to the internet, might skimp on customer service.

• Low prices and a price match guarantee
• Quality equipment

• Anecdotally, customer service can be poor
• Four set sizes limits flexibility
• Fewer equipment options

More and more homeowners are turning to rooftop solar panels as a way to save money or address climate change. But solar panels represent a huge financial investment. While there are dozens of solar panel providers and installers around the country, it’s worth looking at the major players.

Although most people likely know Tesla as an electric car company, it took a major step into the solar business with its 2016 purchase of the solar company SolarCity, which was founded by cousins of Tesla CEO Elon Musk. It now installs solar panels and its unique Solar Roof in at least parts of 25 states and promises to match the prices of its competitors.

Tesla is one of the largest solar installers in the United States . Tesla gave ground to companies with more aggressive sales tactics, opting for an online-only sales method that feels less pushy. It backs its already low prices with a price match guarantee.

Tesla offers low-profile solar panels and are likely cheaper than those from other national companies.

Read more: Solar Panels vs. Tesla Solar Roof: Biggest Differences Broken Down

The Tesla Powerwall 2 For Businesses

We are seeing an increased demand from businesses looking to incorporate solar arrays and Tesla Powerwalls to reduce their electricity bills. Implementing battery storage solutions for businesses can be complicated, and wed only recommend it in certain circumstances. We dont want to sell you a battery storage system that wont be fully utilised. Solar PV combined with Tesla Powerwalls are great for businesses where:

• Evening consumption is greater than the daytime, such as hotels, or if you are the owner/operator of housing blocks. This means theres lots of unused power in the day which can then be used at night.
• Where the solar array generates a large excess of power . This ensures theres excess electricity that can be captured all year round
• Or where theres a big difference between the day and night price of electricity. This allows cheap night-time electricity to be stored and used to offset expensive imported electricity.

We do not recommend installing solar PV combined with Tesla Powerwalls for businesses where:

• Daytime load is high, and/or solar generation is low. Youd capture some solar at midday on the sunniest days of the year, but for the rest of the year there wouldnt be enough excess solar to charge the batteries.

Our engineers can model this for you to see if this is a viable option for your property. Contact our commercial design team to find out more.

Thamesweys Microgrid

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Solar Roof Efficiency Vs Solar Panel Efficiency

The brand new solar roof will be entirely manufactured in the United States. Tesla plans to manufacture all of their solar tiles at their Buffalo facilities using solar cells provided by their partner, Panasonic. Peter Rive, the CTO at SolarCity had previously claimed the efficiency of one of their solar tiles was equivalent to a standard panel. However, according to SolarCitys website the colored film of the solar tile allows the cells to blend into the roof while minimizing solar efficiency loss. While it appears this would mean the efficiency of solar tiles would be lower than those of solar panel, this isnt necessarily the case.

Currently, Panasonics N3300 HIT modules have an efficiency of 19.7%. The have developed solar cells as efficient as 23.5% in their labs. The solar industry average for solar panels is approximately 16%, while Pick My Solars installers come in at around 19.5%. So even if the colored film of the solar tiles lessens the efficiency by a few percentage points, the solar tiles efficiency still may be equivalent to that of standard solar modules.

When it comes to the efficiency of Teslas solar roof in comparison to standard solar panels, there is no clear cut winner. Just make sure that if your home is very limited in regards to roof space, you go with the highest efficiency module possible to power your home.

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Tesla Solar Roof: How Much Did It Cost Before

Musk claimed that, in 80 percent of cases, the new tiles would offer a price point that is less than what the average roof costs plus solar panels.

Research from Electrek after the announcement found a 9.45-kilowatt roof of 1,862 square feet cost $38,266. Once the Powerwall and repairs were factored in, it cost $54,866.

LinkedIn engineer Robby Valles in August 2020 that his 1,737-square-foot 7.37-kilowatt solar roof cost $34,067 before tax credits.

For comparison, HomeGuide lists the cost to replace a 2,000-square-foot asphalt roof as $10,460 at the high end. EnergySage lists the average cost of a seven-kilowatt solar system as $19,670 before tax credits.

This suggests Valless roof may have cost slightly more than buying the two separately, although its hard to say as the price would vary depending on the house.

Tony Cho, who ordered a giant Tesla Solar Roof for his Florida retreat, told Inverse in January 2021 that it cost around 35 percent more than the price of panels and a new roof. Jason Lassen, who bought a Solar Roof for his Wisconsin home, told Inversein March 2021 the price was almost the exact same as the cost of a good shingle roof plus solar.

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Walmart Lawsuit And Project Titan

SolarCity installed and managed solar panels on the roofs of more than 240 Walmart stores. After fires on the roofs of seven of those stores, Walmart filed a lawsuit against Tesla on August 21, 2019, claiming that the fires were caused by negligent installation and maintenance that relied on “untrained and unsupervised personnel”.

At around the start of the lawsuit, it was revealed that Tesla had initiated a secretive program, “Project Titan”, to replace solar panel parts that could cause fires. Former employees said that Project Titan involved replacing two parts believed to be causing the fires: the connectors between the panels made by Amphenol and the power optimizers built by SolarEdge. Tesla said that it believed Project Titan was successful in addressing issues with the connectors and their higher rate of failure.

On November 9, 2019, it was announced that Walmart and Tesla had settled their lawsuit. A joint statement provided by Tesla stated the companies were “pleased to have resolved the issues raised by Walmart” concerning the installations, and looked forward to “a safe re-energization of our sustainable energy systems.” The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Net Metering And Selling Your Excess Solar Energy Into The Grid

The cheaper alternative is to enroll in a solar buyback program. Many electric providers have come up with plans to help customers who use solar energy. When your solar energy installation is generating more electricity than you use, you can essentially sell it back into the grid. Later, when you are using more than you generate with solar, you can draw what you need back out of the grid. Different providers have different ways of calculating the cost of the energy that you buy and sell, and there are also different ways of crediting the money back to your account. The providers, themselves, can give you information on how they do this.

This is an obvious benefit to the solar customer, but it also helps out the utilities and the grid itself. In the middle of the day, demand on the grid is usually at its highest. During the summer, this is especially the case because of people turning up their air conditioners during the heat of the day. However, in general, demand is going to be highest during business hours.

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Scenario : You Love The Solar Roof Aesthetics Want Solar And Have Money To Spend

There are certainly homeowners out there who simply love the aesthetics of the Tesla Solar Roof and want it installed, regardless of the price tag. For shoppers in this category who are considering solar or even a new roof, the Tesla Solar Roof could be a good fit! In fact, we believe that the majority of buyers for Teslas Solar Roof come from this fourth category. At EnergySage, we think that more solar on rooftops is always better than less, and are glad that this group has an option that best fits their needs.

There are other alternatives to the Solar Roof including the Timberline Solar Roofing System. This is a similar roofing system that can be paired with batteries including the Tesla Powerwall. In contrast to the Solar Roof, it can be nailed to a roof. There are also the Suntegra solar shingles. This system has the option of including tiles as well and offers efficiencies of 15.9% to 17.2%.

What Is A Tesla Powerwall

The Tesla Powerwall is a lithium solar battery storage system and a revolutionary home battery with one of the largest energy capacities available on the market today.

When integrated with solar, the Tesla Powerwall 2.0 stores excess solar energy generated at daytime and avails it when needed. This keeps the home self-powered through outages while minimizing reliance on the grid.

Combined with solar panels and the Tesla Solar Roof, it provides an incredible energy storage solution capable of storing energy at home, detecting outages and automatically supplying a homes energy when the grid is down.

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Read About Home Battery Government Schemes Across Australia

South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and Australian Capital Territory all currently have a home battery scheme in place.

The South Australian Home Battery Scheme enables eligible South Australian residents to receive up to $4,000 per installed battery.

The New South Wales Home Battery Scheme offers an interest-free loan up to $9000 for eligible households looking to install a solar battery.

The Victorian Government under the Solar Homes Program provides to those eligible, a maximum discount of $4,174 off the battery sale price. The next release of battery rebates is on the 2nd of September 2020.

The Australian Capital Territory Government under the Next Generation Energy Storage program provides a rebate of $825 per kilowatt . An average household with a 5kW system would be eligible for approximately $4,000.

Do Teslas Solar Products Come With A Warranty

Tesla Solar equipment comes with two warranties, including a 10-year comprehensive warranty and a 25-year panel performance warranty.

• Comprehensive warranty: Your Tesla solar system is covered by a 10-year warranty. That means for the first decade after your solar panel installation, Tesla should perform any maintenance or labor request related to your solar system at no cost. It covers issues related to roof mounting and leaks, your Tesla solar inverter and/or your Powerwall.
• Panel performance warranty: Your solar panels are protected by what Tesla calls a panel performance warranty for at least 25 years following installation. Under it, your solar panels are guaranteed at least 80% of nameplate power capacity. Tesla should process any claims and perform any related labor at no cost.

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Scenario : Youre Interested In Going Solar But Dont Need To Replace Your Roof

This is the most common scenario for the vast majority of homeowners in the U.S. today. Youve been interested in installing solar panels for a while, and realize that costs have come down enough for it to be an achievable home upgrade. Youve also heard a lot of media buzz around the Tesla Solar Roof lately, but arent sure if its worth the cost. Most importantly, you dont need to replace your roof in the next three to five years.

If this description sounds like you, we typically would recommend that Teslas Solar Roof wont make financial sense for your home. Heres why: it is both a new roof and a solar installation. If you dont need a new roof, you risk getting upsold on a product that you werent even shopping for in the first place. And the price tag of this upsell is considerable. However, in November 2021, electrek reported that Teslas new tile datasheet mentions that the solar tiles can now be installed over existing roofs, which might be a game changer for the cost-effectiveness of this system. Because these details have not yet been released, for our example, well assume youre replacing your full roof.

Roof complexity

Roof size

While the cost of your new solar panels will roughly stay the same at $23,400 regardless of your roof size, the cost of a Tesla Solar Roof will vary significantly. The table below shows estimated quotes for you based on your roof size :