«Previous    Next»
Solar “Shingles” Replace Traditional Roofing
You can turn the roof of your house into a solar generator with a Tesla solar “shingles”. The technology is proven with installations in place on more than 400,000 roofs nationwide. Tesla Solar Roofs have been on the market since 2007. By 2011 they had installed more then 10,000 roofs; however, there have been recalls and production problems over the years.
In 2019, Tesla unveiled Solar Roof V3, having cut installation costs by about 40 percent. They refined installation to be faster and more affordable.
Currently Tesla Solar Roofs are only available in the U.S. In addition to company installers, the company certifies 3rd party installers. To find the nearest certified installer, visit the Tesla website and indicate “Order Now” on the Solar Roof page.
Tesla Solar Roof costs will vary depending on the number of tiles needed to meet home energy use. The return also will vary depending on roof size, average local price of electricity, and average amount of sunshine received throughout the year. A Solar Roof Calculator considering these factors can be found on the Tesla website.
After one year of operation, customer Austin Flack, Los Angeles, Calif., reported his experience to his YouTube subscribers. In need of a new roof for his 1,745-sq. ft. home, he discovered a composite tile roof would cost close to $12,000. Adding traditional solar panels to the roof would add an additional $18,700 to the total cost. A Tesla Solar Roof producing 8,441 kWh/year was quoted at $33,749. This was only $3,049 more than a conventional roof. He installed the roof in January of 2020.
In the first year after installation, Flack’s solar roof produced 7,998 kWh. This was 93 percent of what Tesla had promised. Monthly production dropped significantly as area wildfires increased from August on. He considers a 7 percent reduction acceptable given the roof was caked in ash for 5 mos.
Bottom line, after paying $2,245 for electricity in 2019, his 2020 costs including fees was $156.62. The added cost for the solar roof will be recovered in less than 20 years, less if electricity prices continue to rise.
Tesla Solar Roof tiles are available in a variety of styles. They are more than 3 times stronger than standard roofing tiles, but weigh half as much and don’t degrade over time like asphalt and concrete roofing.
Editors note: As this issue went to press, a story went public that Tesla has had more troubles with its Solar Roof Tile business. Apparently there are some roofs it works better on than others but some installers have not been making that clear to customers. Bottom line? Buyer beware.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, (www.tesla.com/solarroof).


  Click here to download page story appeared in.



  Click here to read entire issue




To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.
Order the Issue Containing This Story
2021 - Volume #45, Issue #3