Tesla Plant Solar keeping up the momentum

[StapleGun]

Unfortunately the roof of the factory is not just a big empty rectangle. There's room for plenty of solar but i'm sure it would add some complexity and cost to the installation.

While it certainly can't hurt to install solar on the roof of Tesla's Fremont factory, it's unlikely to match Tesla's total electricity consumption. Just imagine the load requirement to charge several hundred battery packs per day, not to mention the heavy electric machinery inside the plant.

The plant's roof looks like it's roughly 400m x 700m, I'm going to conservatively guess 30% of the roof space can be covered with panels, which gives us 84,000 m^2 of solar panels. Assume 200W panels, avg. 8 hours of sun, and 75% efficiency and each panel will produce around 1.2kwh off energy per day, or 100mwh/day for the whole installation. Enough to charge 1,185 - 85kwh batteries each day. So for now batteries would only require about 10% of the load. I have no idea what the total power draw of the factory would be though.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Great idea, but a solar system of that size will literally takes years of planning and permitting to pull off.

 

[Ludus]

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No matter the consumption, there would definitely be a payback. I suspect it has already been analized internally, and prioritized. It is simply a matter of resource allocation, and picking the right priorities is critical to a growing company.

We may think they are sitting on a wad of cash, but they have some important investments to make over the next few years.

Ideally under the Solar City model, it wouldn't cost Tesla anything. A third party investor would pay for the entire installation and Tesla would contract to buy power ( at a stable rate somewhat lower than currently) over the length of the contract. The investor benefits from Tax credits. This is the model Elon came up with as the basis of Solar City.

In this case the investor would share in publicity as well. Google for example has already invested several hundred million in this sort of contract. It's not a bad combination of benefits for a silicon valley company with a lot of profits and the desire for a image associated with Tesla.

While such a project could cost hundreds of millions it need not cost Tesla Motors anything at all, actually reducing their electric bills a bit and making planning for electric rates easier.

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[Jack6591]

Great idea, but a solar system of that size will literally takes years of planning and permitting to pull off.

The design and installation is cookie-cutter. Elon would set much greater expectations.

 

[Ludus]

http://www.solarcity.com/commercial/portfolio/retail/toyota-sierra.aspx

A solar carport portion would be pretty simple to design and erect. The Tesla facility has thousands of parking spaces. Since there is much more parking than the current workforce needs, construction would just be a minor inconvenience. Covered parking created benefits the workforce.

 

[Cosmacelf]

The design and installation is cookie-cutter. Elon would set much greater expectations.

When you are talking a multi megawatt power plant connecting to the electricity grid, the power company will have a thing or two to say about it, which is completely out of Elons control. Have you followed how long it takes for a utility scale solar electric plant to go through planning and permitting?

 

[neroden]

Unfortunately the roof of the factory is not just a big empty rectangle. There's room for plenty of solar but i'm sure it would add some complexity and cost to the installation.

It's several buildings. Most of the roofs are flat roofs and they're mostly empty. Start with the southernmost building. (The stamping building. Fremont Factory Delivery - Page 2 )

There's a standard method of putting solar panels on little racks on a flat roof like that. Just skip over the buildings with complicated machinery and multiple levels on the roof (the paint shops look like a pain, and parts of the main building aren't much better) -- do one roof at a time, and start with the big flat ones.

The energy production should be timed to match the greatest energy usage at the factory, at least until Tesla starts running three shifts. I suppose there would probably be haggling with the power company over demand management, but that's got to be resolvable...

Looking at the aerial photos, I think the close-ups are quite old; they show railroad loading of autoracks. While Tesla *should* probably be doing this at their current volume -- Tesla could easily fill a regular train to a Chicago distribution center for further distribution in the Midwest and East -- I'm pretty sure they aren't doing so yet.

 

[PV4EV]

.. The logo and the word Tesla could be filled with lights. Considering the flight patterns of the airports throughout the bay area, it would be an awesome advertisement. During the day, (Whited out), and during the night lit up.

Deliberately beaming light into the sky? …

Maybe they could use it as a last resort when trying to call Elon in an emergency ? :biggrin:

 

[Ludus]

When you are talking a multi megawatt power plant connecting to the electricity grid, the power company will have a thing or two to say about it, which is completely out of Elons control. Have you followed how long it takes for a utility scale solar electric plant to go through planning and permitting?

Dependence on net metering in general is an issue that Solar City is well aware of. They have a pilot program for small installations to use Tesla battery packs to level power use. The superchargers are also designed with Tesla battery packs to level power use locally and reduce reliance on net metering and the issues associated with dumping power into the grid. If the Tesla installation is built in stages with smart grid controlled battery packs it might be a much easier fit as well as a more important demonstration project. This sort of installation would be a real showpiece for both Solar City and Tesla's potential.