Tesla Solar Shingles

Over the past few years, Tesla has emerged as a leading manufacturer of green energy products. In fact, the company claims to have saved nearly 4 million tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere with their clean energy inventions. Included in this array of new green energy products is the Tesla Solar Roof, which was unveiled in October 2016. Since then, the Tesla Solar Roof tiles have become an option for people trying to "go green" or produce their own electricity with dual purpose solar shingles.

Corporate History

Tesla, Inc. (formerly known as Tesla Motors) is an energy storage company that was founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. In the early years of the company, Elon Musk served as the Chairman of the board, and its main focus was on electric cars. In 2008 during the heat of the financial crisis, Tesla was taken over by Musk who invested much of his own financial wealth into the company to save it from bankruptcy. Around this time, Tesla, Inc. was also selling its Roadster vehicles. By 2012, Tesla employed over 3,000 people and released its Model S vehicle, while also building Supercharger stations all over the world. By October, 2015, the company had sold over 90,000 vehicles and was experiencing continued growth. Since then, Tesla has introduced self-driving software, solar panel technology, the Powerwall home battery, and the Solar Roof. As of Fall of 2018, the company claims that hundreds of homeowners have placed an order for this new roofing product.

Credentialing

Tesla does not offer contractor training for Tesla Solar Roof installation. The company uses its own certified technicians and specialists to complete the project as extensive knowledge of the solar technology is needed for proper installation. Before the installation project, Tesla asks for a $1000 deposit. From there, the homeowner will review the installation and schedule it with a specialist. The installation time varies depending on the size of your house, but most projects take two weeks to be completed.

Product Lines

• Roofing Tiles: When purchasing a Tesla Solar Roof, customers have the option to choose between four different styles marketed as: Smooth, Textured, Tuscan, and Slate. Slate tiles resemble natural stone and Tuscan tiles have a classic European look with smooth curves. The Textured and Smooth tiles resemble standard roofing shingles. Each contains solar technology.
• Material: Each roofing tile is made with tempered glass. Some of the tiles are solar tiles while others are non-solar tiles depending on the amount of energy generation your home will require. Both the non-solar tiles and solar tiles look identical from the street.
• Powerwall Battery: The Powerwall Battery can be purchased with your Tesla Solar Roof. It’s integrated into your solar roof system and retains the energy generated from the solar tiles and stores it for later use. For instance, during a grid outage, homes with solar tiles and a Powerwall battery can tap into the stored excess energy and still have power.

Ratings: Tesla claims that its Solar Roof tiles are three times stronger than standard roof tiles. This is why they offer an “infinity” warranty. They have a Class 4 ANSI FM 4473 hail rating, a Class F ASTM D3161 wind rating, and a Class A UL 790 fire rating. These ratings indicate strong impact resistance, wind resistance, and fire resistance.

Environmental Impact

A main reason people purchase the Tesla Solar Roof is to commit to sustainability and “green” living. Tesla roofing tiles have the ability to provide adequate roofing coverage while converting sunlight into energy. Excess energy can be stored for later use using a battery product like Tesla’s Powerwall.

While generating solar energy, you are ending the reliance on coal, natural gas, or nuclear power to provide energy to your home. The average annual amount of carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation is usually around 2,000 million metric tons. This primarily comes from homes and businesses whose electricity comes from coal and natural gas, but nuclear power also poses its own risks. By eliminating your home’s reliance on natural gas and coal for electricity, you reduce the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere.

As an incentive for environmentally-friendly practices, the US government offers a 30% Solar Investment Tax Credit. This tax credit applies to the solar tiles, the Powerwall battery, and any other technology that accompanies the system. Furthermore, the tax credit can be carried over to future years, and additional tax credits might be available from state and local municipalities as well as your utility company.

Contacting Tesla

Warranty

Tesla claims its Solar Tiles are more durable than standard roofing shingles because they’re made with tempered glass. Because of this, Tesla offers a lifetime/infinity warranty on the tiles. They also offer a 30-year power warranty which guarantees sustained energy output and a 30-year weatherization warranty which covers water leaks or any other weather intrusions during the warranty timespan. These warranties are only available in the US, though Tesla claims similar warranties will be available for other countries.