What Would Be The Benefits Of Any Solar Roof Tiles
The key advantage that solar tiles have over solar panels is their attractive finish and seamless integration with your home’s architecture.
Many listed properties aren’t allowed to have solar panels installed but solar tiles may be a viable alternative.
In theory, the Tesla solar tiles have been designed to work in partnership with Tesla’s Powerwall 2.0 Solar Battery which, although optional, would enable you to store the energy produced by the tiles for use during the night or in the event of a power cut, bringing the ambition of energy independence a little closer to reality.
Learn How Much Solar Can Save You Today Before You Make Your Decision
Just as Tesla doesnt make electric vehicles for the masses, Teslas solar roof isnt feasible for every home. In many ways, the companys solar roof product is similar to its first electric car. If you are an early adopter of newer technologies, dont care about price, and are prepared to wait for a product with an uncertain manufacturing timeline, then waiting for Teslas solar roof could be the right decision for you.
However, there are always risks associated with installing newer technology, especially when Teslas solar roof lacks so much transparency. Unlike Teslas solar shingles, many of the premium solar panels currently available on the market today are sold by well-known consumer electronics manufacturers that have been producing solar panels for a decade or more.
Additionally, waiting to go solar has its risks, even if youre interested in the solar roof. The cost of going solar is falling every year, and there are premium solar panels already available today that come with high-efficiency ratings and a sleek black design. If you wait years for the Tesla Solar Roof, you will lose out on years of savings on your electricity bill. You also run the risk of missing out on financial incentives for solar: many state tax credits have already expired and as of now, the federal investment tax credit for solar will be lowered to 22 percent in 2023.
Tesla Solar Shingle Specs
Teslas solar shingles are a sleek, slate grey at 15×45 and come with a 25 year tile, power, and weatherization warranty. The tiles have an ASTM D3161 Class F wind rating, and a ANSI FM 4473 Class 3 hail rating. Thats all fancy jargon to say the tiles are tested to hold up to 110mph winds and 1 ¾ inch hail.
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Tesla Solar Roof Vs The Cost Of A Traditional Roof With Solar Panels
According to RoofingCalc.com, a traditional roof like asphalt shingles can cost between $3.50 and $7.50 to install on a typical house. Most homeowners can expect to pay between $8,000 to $13,200 to install midrange shingles on typical 2,000 to 2,200 sq.ft. roof.
To install a 10kW PV solar panel system, it will cost approximately $28,000. Thus, the total cost of getting a new roof coupled with a 10kW PV system is approximately $40,000.
In other words, Tesla solar glass tile roof costs between 50% and 100% more than a traditional roof integrated with solar panels. The larger the roof size, the greater the relative and absolute difference in price between the two systems will be.
Is It Worth It To Get A Tesla Solar Roof
If youre willing to pay the high price point, need to replace your roof and like the idea and sleek aesthetic of Teslas solar shingles, then it may be worth it to get a Solar Roof. Otherwise, Teslas Solar Panels, or even traditional solar panels, may make more financial sense while still increasing your homes energy efficiency.
Teslas solar options are significantly more expensive than other renewable energy alternatives on the market, and the company has had a record of changing quoted prices for the Solar Roof fairly regularly. However, if you have the finances and do not mind integrating your home into the Tesla system, a Solar Roof is a good long-term investment for your home.
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Giant Tesla Solar Roof Owner Reveals How Much It Actually Costs
Tony Cho is the owner of Florida’s largest Tesla Solar Roof, a giant 44-kilowatt installation.
Tesla has installed its largest Solar Roof in Florida, and owner Tony Cho is ecstatic.
The 44-kilowatt roof, which covers the ChoZen Retreat, measures a staggering 7,300 square feet. It supplies far more energy than standard home installs, which tend to harvest around 10 kilowatts.
A video of the roof shared by Cho via Twitter on December 30 went viral, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on January 9 that it was “one of the best Tesla Solar Roof installations.”
Cho tells Inverse the cost was also pretty reasonable, in his opinion: around 35 percent more than the price of solar panels plus a new roof. It’s also led to big savings on his energy bills.
âFor the operations that I have here, the retreats that I host, and the size of the property, I think phenomenal,â Cho says.
Want to know more about how Cho ordered his roof from Tesla, how long it took to install, and how it has changed his energy bills? Read the full interview, only in MUSK READS+.
The roof is one of Tesla’s most iconic products â solar-harvesting tiles designed to look like ordinary roof tiles to the untrained eye. First unveiled in October 2016, the tiles were pitched as part of a house of the future: A Tesla Model 3 electric car in the garage, the roof tiles, and a Tesla Powerwall battery to store the solar energy for 24-hour use.
TO CONTINUE READING THE FULL INTERVIEW, SUBSCRIBE TO MUSK READS+.
Solar Roof Vs Solar Panels
There are two major differences between a solar roof and a traditional solar panel system complexity and price.
Talk with any roofer or solar company that has worked with the solar shingle product, well bet theyll tell you that the Tesla solar roof is one of the most complex and intricate roofing systems that they have ever seen. An average 8kw solar roof will have around 460 solar shingles, which means there are 460 wiring connection points on your roof . On the other hand, a traditional solar system for this size will include around 25 solar panels, meaning 25 connections.
With a traditional solar system, you can also get panel level solar monitoring so you would know exactly when a panel is underperforming while being able to pinpoint exactly where the problem is in your system. This level of monitoring just isnt available yet for the solar roof, making it a challenge to quickly address any issues when they come up.
Next on the list is price. Teslas Solar Roof website has a slick calculator that takes your address and uses Googles Project Sunroof to automatically generate a Solar Roof solution for your home. While the tool is fun to play with, the prices and energy savings it estimates dont impress us when compared to traditional solar panels. Lets take a deeper dive into price differences between the Tesla Solar roof and traditional solar panels.
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Should You Wait For The Tesla Solar Roof
Standard solar panel technologies are typically evaluated based on their performance, durability, and warranties. However, Teslas lack of transparency makes it difficult to compare to traditional solar panels. Four years after the initial launch of Teslas solar roof, the company still hasnt revealed the shingles efficiency and customers are still experiencing long wait times and surprise price increases.
If youre in dire need of a roof upgrade or if you wont need a roof upgrade for a while, the Tesla Solar Roof may not be worth your long wait. Solar panels are extremely dependable . However, if you need to upgrade your roof soon and your roof isnt too complex, you may be a good candidate for the Tesla Solar Roof. Additionally, if youre set on the look and have the capital to cover the cost, the system may be the best choice for you, though it may be worth your while to compare the Tesla Solar Roof to other solar roof products.
So Is Tesla The Best Solar Roof
Most manufacturers of solar shingles operate in the same general way they mount directly to roof sheathing for a low-profile and reasonably seamless look, and they kind of integrate with existing roofing materials. The prices vary between manufacturers, as do the warranties, but yes, we have a favorite. None of these solar roof competitors listed above compare to the Tesla warranty or appearance. A Tesla Solar Roof is at first view the most expensive solar roof option, but again, youre talking apples and oranges.
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Breaking Down The Price Of Teslas Solar Roof
Tesla solar roof systems are designed entirely with Tesla-exclusive equipment. With every Tesla solar roof install you can expect at least these four things:
- Active solar shingles
- Tesla Powerwall
- Tesla solar inverter
Heres the breakdown of how each of these pieces of equipment contributes to the total price.
1. Active solar shingles
Cost: $1.80 per watt
Teslas active solar shingles are tempered glass shingles, containing solar cells that generate electricity. It costs about $1.80 per watt to install the active shingles. Each shingle is 15 by 45 and designed to have a similar look to slate shingles.
If you installed a 7 kW Tesla solar roof, the active shingles alone would cost $12,600 before incentives. The bigger the solar system you need, the higher the total price will be.
See what solar incentives and rebates you qualify for
2. Inactive shingles
Cost: $13.30 per square foot – $20.75 per square foot
Teslas inactive shingles do not contain solar cells, they simply cover your roof like a traditional shingle and allow the active solar shingles to blend in with the rest of the roof. Because the inactive shingles do not generate electricity, they are priced per square foot, not per watt.
The price youll pay for the inactive shingles varies depending on how complex your roof is. Tesla divides roofs into three different complexity types, each with a very vague set of criteria:
3. Tesla Powerwall
Cost: $10,500
Watch out for design change fees!
4. Tesla solar inverter
What Makes The Tesla Solar Roof Different
Solar shingles on an un-shaded south-facing shed roof will capture solar radiation the whole time the sun is up. But, most houses arent built like that there are various roof styles with north-facing pitches that collectively mean perhaps as much as 70% of a roof surface will never see the light of day, so putting solar panels on them would be a waste of time, money and resources. This is where Tesla starts to stands out from the pack in a detailed comparison.
Tesla has developed an integrated active / inactive roof-tile system, so you dont end up paying for solar panels that wont generate power, and you dont have visible junctions between active and inactive shingles and tiles. The other providers listed above also provide active and inactive components, but you know exactly which are which because they look so very different – and as a home is typically the most expensive purchase and investment we will make, we tend to be quite fussy about the aesthetics.
That means that, aesthetically speaking, Tesla is the clear front-runner, and aesthetics are very important to designers, architects, homebuilders and homebuyers.
Costs & Warranty comparison for the Tesla Solar Roof tiles
- Install price: Tesla claims $1.99 per Watt
- Product warranty: 30 years.
- Power output warranty: 30 years.
- 130 mile per-hour wind warranty: 30 years.
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How Much Will A Tesla Solar Roof Cost On My Home
Tesla has provided an online calculator that attempts to compute the cost of a Tesla Solar Roof based on a homes approximated square foot and number of stories. Single story homes are presumed to have double the roof surface area than a 2-story home with the same interior space. Here are some estimates on how much a Tesla Solar Roof will cost depending on the size of the home:
- 1.500 square feet $55,600
- 1,500 square feet $29,500
- 2.000 square feet $72,700
- 2,000 square feet $38,300
- 3,000 square feet $55,600
- 3,000 square feet $106,600
- 5,000 square feet $155,300
- 5,000 square feet $89,700
Solar Roof costs outlined are based on 60% solar coverage and does not take into account value of energy produced from the roof tiles themselves. The cost also does not factor in any local solar tax credits which varies by region.
Originally published post below:
Teslas new Solar Roof tiles are the hot topic of conversation right now. At the official reveal event, Elon Musk asked rhetorically, So, why would you buy anything else? In a new analysis, Consumer Reports tries to answer that question.
In the absence of pricing information from Tesla, Consumer Reports decided to make some assumptions of its own. People may quibble with them, but they at least establish a baseline that can be used to begin the discussion.
Tesla Cuts Cost Of Solar Roof And Solar Panels With New $500 Referral Bonus
UPDATES:
- September 18, 2021: Tesla modified the referral program such that *only* solar roof purchases qualify for the referral bonus . Tesla vehicles and traditional solar panel systems have now been excluded from the referral program.
Original article follows:
While Tesla is currently best known for its electric cars, the company provides solar power systems to consumers as well. In fact, they do this at one of the lowest prices in the industry currently about $2.01/watt before incentives. This week, Tesla quietly started offering a new incentive to those considering the purchase of a Tesla solar panel or solar roof system: $500 cash back.
To take advantage of this offer, you need a Tesla referral code or link that same code you use to get free supercharging on a Tesla car purchase. Any current Tesla car owner or Tesla solar owner can provide you with the code or link just ask them. If you need one, feel free to use mine:
Tesla Referral Link< use this for a cash bonus on your Tesla solar purchase
If ordering by phone or chat, you can use Tesla referral code: christopher55570
Tesla offers solar power systems at some of the lowest prices in the industry. Photo courtesy of Tesla, 2021.
Read more about the Tesla referral program or about Tesla solar.
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Lets Examine The Estimates Found On The Internet
1. Motley Fool
A columnist for Motley Fool has made calculations to predict how solar shingles compare to a traditional roof. He estimates that based on a manufacturing cost of $ 0.30 per shingle is comparable to ceramic or concrete tiles. But be aware that the installation costs are extra: Tesla says that the cost price is $ 3 per watt installed (meaning $ 5880 per 100 square feet or $ 176,400 for a standard 3,000 square feet house.
2. Consumer Reports
Have developed a calculation including anticipated savings in electricity in order to be competitive with a traditional roof they determined that a maximum expenditure of $ 73,500 would be necessary in order to be competitive with asphalt shingle roofing, one of the least expensive solutions. According to information provided by roofing installation associations, and assuming an average house with a 3,000 square foot roof, the total cost of this asphalt shingle roof would be approximately $ 20,000. They then added an annual cost invoice of $ 2,000 in their calculation , and the life of the shingles being 30 years as stated by Tesla. After thirty years, savings are expected to rise to around $ 60,000. When the Powerwall, which is part of the installation of the electricity storage system for non-solarized moments, and which costs $ 6,500, the savings would be reduced to $ 53,500.
3. Energysage
Tesla Solar Roof: What Changed
In April 2021, Tesla made a number of changes to its solar offerings.
- It is no longer possible to purchase the Solar Roof or the retrofit roof panels without also purchasing the Powerwall battery. Musk claims this will simplify installations.
- The Powerwall 2 will unlock more peak power capability through a software update in May 2021. Newer batteries produced since around November 2020 offer more power than advertised. Energy remains the same, but peak power and steady-state power are around double in these newer units.
- The Solar Roof is now more expensive.
Electrek obtained an email that went out to Solar Roof buyers. It included a line that explains âwe have increased the price of Solar Roof and have added adjustments for individual roof complexity.â
On the firmâs new Roof Complexity web page, it explains:
Your roofâs complexity will determine your Solar Roof installationâs level of difficulty, which is factored into your final purchase price. Roofs fall into three tiers of complexity â simple, intermediate and complex. Roof complexity is determined by the number and severity of roof obstructions such as the pitch, number of joints, chimneys and other features on your roof that add to the difficulty of the installation.
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What Is The Tesla Solar Roof
One of the biggest issues homeowners have with solar panels is how they look. As a response, in 2016, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced Tesla Energys new product – the Tesla solar roof – on the set of then-popular television series Desperate Housewives of all places. That should have given us some sort of indication that the Tesla roof was probably going to be all for show.
The solar roof was designed to function as photovoltaic solar panels while seamlessly integrating into a roof. This way homeowners could still enjoy the benefits of solar energy, like electric bill savings and using clean energy, without having to sacrifice their homes aesthetics.
In order to get a uniform look, a homes entire roof is replaced with Tesla shingles. Not all of these shingles will generate electricity , but the whole roof will be covered in Tesla brand shingles.
