#TESLA ROOF TILES IN JAPAN INSTALL#
#TESLA ROOF TILES IN JAPAN TRIAL#
#TESLA ROOF TILES IN JAPAN SERIES#

Tacking those on, our total costs drop to: Of course, the solar installation and the Tesla shingles are eligible for the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit.

Combing the roof and solar installation, you’re looking at a grand total of $28,600 – about half the price of the Tesla shingles. At the average installation cost of about $3/watt, that totals $18,600. How does that compare to a new roof with traditional solar panels? First, asphalt shingles cost around $4/square foot, so covering a 2,500 square foot roof would cost $10,000.Īs far as the solar installation goes, we’d need more info than just the roof size to really size the installation appropriately, but let’s say the installation is 6.2 kilowatts – the average installation size in the US as of 2018. Covering a 2,500 square foot roof in Tesla shingles then would cost a total of $54,600. Tesla’s solar roof costs about $21.85 per square foot, with 35% of the tiles being solar tiles, and the rest non-solar tiles. As such, if we want to compare costs, we can’t just compare the cost of Tesla’s solar shingles to installing solar only, but the cost of installing a new roof as well. You don’t need to buy a new roof and solar panels, they’re integrated into each other.

#TESLA ROOF TILES IN JAPAN INSTALL#

If you’re needing a new roof anyway or are building a new home, Tesla’s solar shingles make much more sense, but it’ll still be cheaper to simply install normal asphalt shingles and a traditional solar installation.īeyond the aesthetics, the next selling point for Tesla’s solar shingles is the simplicity of the system. The panels themselves will likely be 1.5x to 2x more expensive than standard-quality panels, but the rest of the installation costs like installation and other equipment should remain fairly similar to any other traditional solar installation.Īnd installing Tesla’s traditional solar panels is certainly cheaper than their solar tiles, which are hard to justify in any situation. It’s backed up with Panasonic’s incredible technology and likely has a good, long-term warranty. If you’re in the market for a premium solar panel, the Tesla solar panel is a great option. Their panels command higher prices than standard-quality offerings, but they are also more efficient and have much better warranties. Tesla’s solar panels are premium products, in line with other top-tier manufacturers like LG and Sunpower. Tesla Solar Roof Cost vs Solar Panels Cost

#TESLA ROOF TILES IN JAPAN TRIAL#

By August 2017, production had progressed and Tesla began producing both the solar panels and the solar tiles at the Gigafactory 2, each using Panasonic’s solar cells.Īfter numerous delays and a trial run, in 2018 the factory took over the entire manufacturing process, from solar cells all the way up to the finished panel and tile. Panasonic initially shipped in solar cells it produced in Japan and then manufactured the solar panels in the New York factory. Panasonic foot the bill for the factory and Tesla agreed to purchase all the solar products manufactured at the site. Tesla partnership with Panasonic goes all the way back to 2016, when Tesla chose Panasonic to get their solar panel production in their then-new Gigafactory 2 facility off the ground. Do the math and you’ll find that a solar panel that is 21% efficient can actually produce 30% more electricity than a solar panel that is 16% efficient! You’re probably thinking that’s not a huge difference, but you’d be wrong. Panasonic’s HIT panels, on the other hand, enjoy 19% to 21% efficiency. That is, they are able to convert 16% to 18% of all the sunlight that hits the panel into usable electricity. Most standard-quality solar panels see efficiency rates around 16% to 18%. These are some of the most efficient solar cells available on the market.

#TESLA ROOF TILES IN JAPAN SERIES#

Their famous solar tiles, in which solar cells are embedded into glass roofing tiles, as well as traditional solar panels, which must be bolted to the existing roof like any other solar panel.īoth Tesla’s solar tiles and panels incorporate Panasonic’s legendary HIT series of ultra-efficient solar cells. Tesla actually manufactures two different solar products. That’s great news, but are Tesla’s premium solar products worth the extra cost in 2019? And how do they compare to the cost of traditional solar panels? Let’s take a look.įirst things first, let’s get our nomenclature in order. In early 2018, Tesla finally began manufacturing solar tiles for the public at their New York-based Gigafactory 2. Is the Tesla solar roof worth the additional cost compared to solar panels?

Tesla roof tiles in japan