Is Tesla Powerwall Worth It Our Tesla Powerwall Review
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The Tesla Powerwall is a home battery that charges using electricity generated from solar panels, or when utility rates are low, and powers your home in the evening. It is not meant to be a primary power supplythe solar panel and battery pack will not fully charge from just sunlight alone.
The Tesla Powerwall comes with software that tells you how much energy it needs both day and night and then provides alerts if theres an issue.
While it does not necessarily replace your main power supply, the Tesla Powerwall may be great for those who want renewable energy without the installation of solar panels on their roof.
This article will answer all of your questions about getting a Tesla Powerwall installed.
Is Tesla Powerwall worth it? Read more to find out.
How Do Tesla Solar Panels Compare
There are certainly several more powerful options than Tesla available on the market these days although not by much and certainly some more affordable options. For example, LG now makes a 440-watt panel, and some panels out there have an impressive 22% average efficiency, with technology only getting better by the day.
Still, its the entire system, trusted name, 25-year warranty, and customer service that youre paying for, and when viewed as a whole, there are few other brands that can compare with the quality of Tesla.
Tesla Solar Panel Specs
Like most solar panel companies, Tesla offers a range of solar panels depending on your specific needs. However, Tesla has recently launched a 425-watt panel with 19.8% efficiency one of the most powerful and most efficient residential solar panels available on the market.Advertisements
What really makes Tesla unique is that the company only offers four standard systems, beginning at 4.25 kW at the small end, with the largest setup available at 17.00 kW. The smallest setup would require 10 of the above-mentioned panels, whereas the largest setup would need 40.
This is good to know, as youll need to be certain that youll have the required roof space for installation. All of Teslas solar panels are monocrystalline the most efficient solar panel type.
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Is Tesla The Best Choice
As with any major purchase, you should get multiple quotes from multiple companies. Make sure they answer all your questions and provide the information you need. While Tesla doesn’t have a press office, its customer service representatives were easy to get in touch with and seemed knowledgeable. Still, it shouldn’t be your only call.
If you’re looking for the lowest prices and the backing of a national brand, Tesla is the way to go. Tesla’s price match means it will always be competitive in terms of cost. Likewise, the estimates it provides online come in well below the national average. If the look of your panels is really important, Tesla’s do sit closer to the roof and look sharp. Tesla also offers more information up front about its warranty than some of the other players. Still, make sure you can view it in detail before committing.
The Powerwall is widely considered an industry leader in batteries. It sets the Tesla’s equipment apart, but it’s also available from some other installers.
There is very little reliable customer service and satisfaction information for the solar industry. Tesla Solar doesn’t have a score on with the Better Business Bureau , but anecdotally Tesla’s customer service for solar is bad enough in cases to make some people regret their purchase. It’s customer service call center was responsive and it’s not hard to find customer service complaints for any of the major solar installers, but the complaints about Tesla seem louder and more numerous.
Top 4 Benefits Of The Tesla Powerwall 2 Battery
1. Power through the night.
The most widely known benefit of the Tesla Powerwall is to produce all of your electricity without using energy from your local energy company. Solar panels often generate more electricity than a home can use during the day when the sun is shining. With the Powerwall, you can store that energy reserve to power your home at night or for later use, instead of letting that clean power go to waste.
Even if your solar panels are making you money with your utility company through net metering, the solar energy your panels produce is about 2-3 times more valuable than sending it to the utility company for credits. The only way your home can keep all the energy it produces is with a battery backup system like Tesla Powerwall.
2. Avoid surging electric prices.
Energy companies often raise their rates at certain times of the year and the cost of energy is constantly rising. With the Tesla Powerwall you can avoid these rates and peak charges. Even when your solar panels are not producing energy your home will still run on stored energy from the Powerwall. Check to see if your utility offers Time-of-Use rates which allows you to use less expensive solar energy youve already generated and stored in your Tesla Powerwall battery. Doing this will allow you to avoid electrical charges during more expensive rate periods.
3. Monitor your energy usage.
4. Protect your home.
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Tesla Solar Roof Features
The Tesla Solar Roof stands apart from other PV systems because of its unique features. However, what makes it impressive is not just a cost and energy-efficient solar panel system but a thorough consideration for investing in ones home.
Curb appeal, quality roofing materials, expert construction, and social awareness all come into play like no other PV system on the market.
Should You Install Tesla Solar Panels
The real question, now that the first glimpses of Teslas new solar panels have been revealed to the public, is whether you should try to get a quote for them for your solar installation. First and foremost, no homeowner should make a final decision on their solar purchase without comparing multiple offers from different solar installers. Use a website like the EnergySage Solar Marketplace to find qualified solar companies near you and get quotes to give you an idea of what solar costs in your area.If youre a diehard Tesla fan willing to wait out possible production delays and pay a price premium, it may be worth looking into Tesla solar panels. However, there are other companies that manufacture all-black panels today, including Panasonic, the very company thats producing Teslas solar panels. When you join EnergySage, simply request quotes that include all-black solar panels so that you understand how much of a price premium youll actually pay, and how that impacts your long-term solar savings. You can even request all-black Panasonic solar panels when you join the EnergySage Solar Marketplace today.
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Are Teslas Solar Panels Made In The Usa
Yes! They make their solar panels in Buffalo, New York, at Teslas Gigafactory 2, jointly operating with Panasonic. Tesla also has a factory in Nevada where solar batteries and solar cells are manufactured.
SolarCity sold third-party panels, which carried over into their partnership with Tesla. Tesla does not disclose the solar panel brand so that they can have cheaper quotes.
Pros Of Tesla Roof Tiles
Design: The most noticeable difference between solar panels and the Solar Roof is design. Tesla offers four different styles to choose from textured, smooth, Tuscan, or slate styled solar roof tiles. The tiles mimic the look of a traditional roof so your neighbors wont even know you have solar on your house . If you want to maintain the aesthetics of your rooftop, the Solar Roof tiles are a great option for adding solar energy to your home.
Warranty and durability: Tesla roof tiles are made with tempered glass that is more durable than standard roofing tiles. Tesla stands behind the durability of their product with an infinite warranty . We dont know the full details of their warranty, but thats quite a bold offer.
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Low Return On Investment
But lets say the stars align. Youre in the market for a brand new roof, and youre looking to go solar as well.
The Consumer Reports analysis couldnt conclusively state it would be a good investment even under these ideal circumstances.
For a two-story home in Texas, where the A/C might run 300 days a year, the $73,400 in tax credits and energy savings fall short of the $86,100 cost to install the Solar Roof. In that scenario, the homeowner would find themselves $12,700 in the hole. Even with substantial energy savings, they would actually lose money over the life of the warranty.
Things look slightly brighter for a small ranch-style home in sunny California, where energy costs are sky-high. Consumer Reports estimated a $56,800 Solar Roof might earn the owner $41,800 in net savings over the systems life.
Thats not bad, but its still a far cry from a traditional PV system, which can pay for itself 2-3 times over during the life of the warranty.
The premium you pay for Tesla-branded roofing materials eats into most, if not all, of the money you save from reduced energy bills. The end result is that it takes ideal circumstances to break even on the investment.
One of the main selling points for solar is its viability as a long-term investment. Its not uncommon to see a 200-300% return on investment from a traditional solar array.
With the Solar Roof, Tesla aims to upsell a product you dont need , eating away at the value of your investment into solar energy.
Whats New With The Tesla Solar Roof In 2021
At the end of October 2019, Tesla launched the Solar Roof V3, the latest iteration of the solar roof tiles. Unlike its predecessors, the new Tesla solar roof product comes in one style and consists of fewer parts.
Elon Musk was confident that the rollout of the new solar tiles would be the best version yet. The company planned to ramp up production at their Gigafactory in Buffalo, New York, and partner with local installers to help deploy more solar roofs than they had in the past.
A little over a year later, Musk wound up eating his words, admitting that the company had made significant mistakes with their solar roof project in Teslas Q1 2021 call.
Things started to turn sour for the solar roof in March 2021, when Tesla updated its solar roof pricing, making it even more expensive than before. They kept the cost per watt of solar the same, but the cost of the inactive tiles went up and now varied based on the complexity of a homeowners roof.
Then, just a month later, Tesla increased solar roof prices yet again. The real kicker is that Tesla didnt just up their pricing for new solar roof orders: people who already signed contracts with Tesla saw their installation prices increase, as well.
In some cases, the new prices were 30% higher than the prices in their original contract! And the contract pricing issue wasnt remedied until September 2021, a whole five months later, and only after a class action lawsuit was filed against the company.
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Solar Panel Pros And Cons: Find Out If They’re Worth It For You
Here’s what you need to know about solar panels before you spend thousands.
Solar panels have a lot of benefits, but there are downsides too.
Solar panels provide emissions-free energy, reducing your carbon footprint. Their popularity skyrocketed in 2020 with a 43% increase in gigawatts compared to 2019. With countries adopting clean energy measures to slow the growing risks of climate change, it’s a wise time to consider adding solar panels to your home. But there are downsides to solar panels too.
Our guide tackles the advantages and disadvantages of using solar panels so you can make the best possible decision.
Getting A Loan With Teslas Solar Panel Financing
If you decide to take advantage of Teslas Solar Loan, you avoid paying the full amount upfront and instead make monthly payments. The payment amount depends on the size of the system installed.
Tesla states that most peoples monthly loan payments will be less than their monthly energy bill before installing the solar panels. Here is some estimated monthly pricing dependent on the size of the solar panel system provided by solarreviews.com.
| System Size |
| $297 |
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What Do I Get From Tesla Solar Panels
Tesla offers four sizes of solar panel installations measured in kilowatts: 4.8, 9.6, 14.4 and 19.2kW. Tesla allows you to package your solar panel purchase with a Powerwall, its well-regarded battery system that can store power for use during surge pricing, outages or after the sun sets.
As you might expect, Tesla boasts about its panels’ sleek, low-profile design. To my eye, Tesla’s installations are indeed less obtrusive than others. If that’s important to you, Tesla has an advantage here.
Unless you’re really particular about who manufactures your panels, what’s really important is how long they’ll last and how well they’ll work. Tesla’s warranty says your panels are guaranteed to work at 85% capacity after 25 years or it will replace them. That’s roughly in line with other major companies, though stronger than some.
Tesla’s solar panels have maximum efficiency ratings that range from 19.3% to 20.6%, which compare favorably with other panels .
Tesla’s first foray into solar power was not with panels, but with storage. Its Powerwall battery is still one of the top choices in the industry, to the point that other major solar companies offer the Powerwall with their installations.
Tesla’s warranty says your panels are guaranteed to work at 80% capacity for 25 years or it will replace them.
Powerwall’s warranty guarantees that the battery will hold at least 70% of its rated capacity after 10 years .
Does Tesla Operate In My State How Do I Order
The only surefire way to know if Tesla’s solar panels are available in your area is plug your address into its website and check. I found services in parts of 25 states. That means it’s available in a few more states than some of the other major solar companies, like Trinity and Sunrun, though SunPower serves more.
The ordering process is fairly straightforward: Enter your address. Enter your average monthly electricity cost. Tesla will then spit out a suggested solar array and number of Powerwall batteries. It also provides an estimated cost and a visual mockup . You can add or remove solar panels and Powerwalls from your order and see how it will affect your estimated electricity usage and storage capabilities.
When you’re satisfied with your setup, you can place your order with a refundable deposit of $100.
From here, you’ll need to submit your utility bill and take a few pictures of your roof. Tesla uses that information and satellite imagery to design your system.
While it may seem strange that Tesla doesn’t send someone out to view your roof before designing your solar system, the idea here is to reduce costs.
Tesla solar panel services are available in parts of 25 states.
At this point, you’ll sign a contract and installation moves ahead largely as it would with any installer. Permits are pulled. Tesla sets an install date . A local team puts panels on your roof.
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Do You Need To Install A Tesla Powerwall With Tesla Solar Panels
Over the past year, Tesla has flip flopped back and forth between whether or not they require a Tesla Powerwall with their solar panel installations. As of October 2021, Tesla does not require a Powerwall with Tesla solar panels.
However, the company does require a Powerwall with their solar roof tile installations.
Is The Tesla Solar Roof Worth The Investment
When you hear the name Tesla, you usually stop and listen. Tesla has built a well-known brand with electric vehicles . Then, they announced the Powerwall, a solar battery, and most recently, the Solar Roof, a mix of solar and non-solar tiles that is meant to replace a typical solar system. Elon Musk is a smart guy combining the power of solar with EVs. The ideas he has make sense, but does the investment? Until last month, we knew the solar/non-solar tiles would be for sale this year, but the cost wasnt released. Now that it has been, weve been wondering is the Tesla Solar Roof Worth the Investment?
Why Solar Tiles Entice Customers
There are consumers who have told us they dont like the look of solar panels they just cant get over the aesthetics. Of course, as a self-proclaimed solar geek, I dont completely understand this , but I do understand their perspective solar panels are an addition to the roof on your home. Solar tiles, on the other hand, may integrate seamlessly into your roof.
However, their price tag may not integrate well with your wallet, and the output wont offset your electricity bill like standard solar panels do.
The Tesla Solar Roof Investment
Tesla has an online calculator so you can see what it would cost you to have a Solar Roof installed and how much your electricity offset can be per month. I typed in the address of my home , and this is what it showed me:
Is it worth it?
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