When you concentrate on solar energy, you probably consider rectangular, clunky solar panels which are simply recognizable. All-black panels can mix into the background just a little bit higher, however for essentially the most half, photo voltaic panels aren’t precisely bursting with character.
That is a part of what makes Tesla’s solar shingles and its holistic Photo voltaic Roof system so distinctive and attention-grabbing. The modern system turns your whole roof right into a renewable energy supply with none of these large, boxy photovoltaic modules anyplace to be seen. However it comes at a price.
Let’s break down when Tesla’s solar shingles may make sense to your house and after they most likely do not.
Can photo voltaic panels prevent cash?
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What’s a Tesla Photo voltaic Roof?
The thought behind Tesla’s Photo voltaic Roof is to create photovoltaic modules that double as a roofing materials whereas additionally harvesting power from the solar to energy your own home. Fairly than the massive, commonplace rectangular photo voltaic panels we’re used to seeing on numerous roofs and elsewhere, Tesla’s Photo voltaic Roof is made up of smaller photo voltaic shingles and matching clean ones. The photo voltaic shingles are formed considerably like typical roofing shingles, however include photovoltaic cells.
It makes plenty of sense: Photo voltaic panels are constructed to withstand the weather, from hail to wind and water, identical to any roofing materials. Because of this usually, a Tesla Photo voltaic Roof will truly substitute your current roof. You get a troublesome pores and skin for the highest of your own home that produces energy and retains a modern look, unmarred by large, clunky panels mounted on high of it.
Learn more: Best Solar Shingles
What dimension Tesla Photo voltaic Roof will you want?
Generally, a Tesla Photo voltaic Roof will utterly substitute or cowl your current roof. Nonetheless, not each single piece of the brand new roof must be energy-generating; Tesla additionally makes use of glass and metal roofing panels. So the quantity of precise photo voltaic shingles in your Tesla roof will likely be decided by the quantity of power you wish to generate. It will range from home to deal with. Some jurisdictions and utilities could not can help you set up photo voltaic power techniques exceeding a set variety of kilowatts.
Determining the potential wattage for a Tesla roof is basically the identical as figuring out the whole wattage you need from every other photo voltaic array. Take a look at CNET’s article on how to determine how much solar you need to your state of affairs. It ought to apply to a Tesla Photo voltaic Roof as properly.
Briefly, you may have to have a good suggestion of your power utilization and the way a lot solar your roof will get. From there, you may dimension your Photo voltaic Roof to fulfill your power wants by estimating how a lot it can produce give your accessible daylight.
Tesla photo voltaic panels vs. Tesla Photo voltaic Roof
The biggest difference between Tesla’s photo voltaic panels and the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof is the best way these techniques are put in on your own home. Tesla photo voltaic panels are mounted in your roof, whereas the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof is built-in into your roof. Photo voltaic shingle merchandise are designed to generate photo voltaic power, but in addition mix in with conventional roofing supplies. This gives a discreet means of getting a photo voltaic system in your roof.
However you may probably have to switch your whole roof to put in photo voltaic shingles, which drives up the associated fee fairly a bit. Should you select to put in the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof, you may additionally must buy at the very least one Powerwall battery together with your system. This provides one other $10,000 or extra to your general value. Each merchandise have comparable capabilities to fulfill your energy wants, you may simply probably be paying extra to put in a Tesla Photo voltaic Roof than you’ll with conventional photo voltaic panels.
Tesla’s Photo voltaic Roof shingles look lots like common rooftop shingles, notably up shut. I noticed these at CES 2024.
Tesla Photo voltaic Roof value vs. photo voltaic panels value
The essential trade-off with the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof is that it appears sleeker than photo voltaic panels and doubles as a roofing materials, however photo voltaic shingles are costlier and less efficient than conventional photovoltaic modules.
“For most individuals you are going to have the ability to put extra producing capability in your roof with a framed module versus a photo voltaic shingle at most likely a lower cost level per watt,” mentioned Corey Ramsden with Photo voltaic United Neighbors.
Tesla not operates a press workplace to reply particular questions on pricing, however we used the corporate’s photo voltaic roof estimator instrument to calculate the under estimates based mostly on a Houston house.
The value tag for a Photo voltaic Roof with no Powerwalls is available in at nearly thrice the associated fee to cowl the identical roof with common Tesla photo voltaic panels.
Tesla Roof value estimates
A Photo voltaic Roof will range in value based mostly on the scale, form and site of the roof it is changing. The estimates under had been gathered from Tesla’s cost estimator for a particular house in Houston. The estimates embrace incentives and had been retrieved on Feb. 5, 2024.
| System dimension in kW | Common value per watt | With storage | Whole estimated value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.37 | $4.81 | No battery storage | $49,835 |
| 10.37 | $5.54 | One Powerwall | $57,400 |
| 10.37 | $6.00 | Two Powerwalls | $62,200 |
Elements that have an effect on pricing
Roof sort
A Tesla Photo voltaic Roof might be put in on high of an current shingle roof that is not too previous, new building and some different restricted eventualities. In any other case, set up is usually going to require ripping off the previous roofing materials and changing it with photo voltaic shingles, which will likely be an extra value.
Roof complexity
Tesla considers quite a lot of components in figuring out the complexity of a roof, which may additionally have an effect on pricing. These components embrace the variety of surfaces to the roof and obstructions like chimneys, skylights, followers and vents.
Roof situation
Usually talking, a roof goes to have to be in first rate sufficient situation to help the burden of the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof. If the Photo voltaic Roof goes to be put in on high of current shingles, they need to have a major quantity of life left in them. If both of those situations aren’t met, it can probably lead to an additional value.
Roof pitch
Pitch is one other issue Tesla considers in its roof complexity willpower. With out getting an excessive amount of into numbers, merely bear in mind: steep ain’t as low-cost.
Electrical work
Every house and its wiring are distinctive. There could also be extra prices to accommodate sure quirks of your own home’s electrical system to ensure that a photo voltaic roof can get related safely and as much as code.
Variety of panels
Clearly this will likely be decided by the scale of your roof, and by how most of the wanted panels will likely be photo voltaic versus common glass or metal.
Obstructions in your roof can increase the price of a Photo voltaic Roof.
Further battery storage
Including a number of Tesla Powerwalls to your system to store the power you generate on website will come at an additional value. Incentives and bundling reductions can scale back the associated fee the extra storage you add.
Incentives: Federal and state
A Tesla Photo voltaic Roof could be the solely method to get a brand new roof and have the federal government pay for 30% of it via the federal renewable energy tax credit. Numerous different state or local incentives could convey the value down additional.
Subcontracted installer prices
Tesla could not carry out installs immediately in all places, relying as an alternative on certified third-party installers, whose native pricing could differ from what you discover in Tesla’s estimation instrument.
Is it price it to get a Tesla Photo voltaic Roof?
The economics come all the way down to how a lot of a premium you are prepared to pay for sleeker photo voltaic modules and whether or not or not you are in want of a brand new roof anyway.
“Should you’re changing an costly roof like a slate roof or a steel roof, these numbers may work out,” Photo voltaic United Neighbors’ Ramsden mentioned.
A Tesla Photo voltaic Roof ought to qualify for a 30% federal tax credit and different incentives, so putting in one may very well be a chance to get a brand new roof and have Uncle Sam pay for almost a 3rd of it. Positively double verify your state of affairs together with your tax skilled, nonetheless.
For the common one who is just curious concerning the cool-looking photo voltaic roof or the Tesla model, it may not make nice financial sense to must tear up your previous roof with the intention to set up an costly photo voltaic system when panels would do the job for a 3rd of the associated fee.
Try CNET’s detailed review of the Tesla Solar Roof for extra set up eventualities with value estimates.
Tesla photo voltaic roof FAQs
Does the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof enhance house worth?
Photo voltaic panels have been proven to increase home value, although the rise varies by 12 months and by place, and Tesla’s Photo voltaic Roof needs to be no totally different. It is rather less clear if photo voltaic shingles add much more of a premium than typical panels.
How lengthy does the Tesla photo voltaic roof final?
How lengthy is the set up time for a Tesla Photo voltaic Roof?
Are you able to go off-grid with a Tesla Photo voltaic Roof?
