Tesla Solar Roof

[GoTslaGo]

”it’s wrong to try to ram something down people’s throats that they don’t want,”

I'm open to competition in any new product but this guy can go F himself.

Full quote:

Taylor, Forward Labs CEO, told Green Tech Media that the company is aiming to do the right thing for the right reason. In contrast, he believes that Tesla’s design is the “wrong thing for the right reason.” “It’s wrong to devalue people’s houses with something that doesn’t look good. It’s wrong to put holes in roofs; it’s wrong to go to war with homeowner associations; and it’s wrong to try to ram something down people’s throats that they don’t want,” he said.

End quote.

As for going to war with HOAs, if I were to approach my HOA with his roof that is exactly what I would get. No F'in way would my HOA allow me to put up his roof, and I don't disagree. Whereas if and when Tesla comes out with their Tuscan Tile solar roof, that would be a no brainer. Complete match with the design requirements for my HOA.

That statement seems to be a really out of touch on that CEO's part. Or is he referring to another product (giving him the benefit of the doubt)?

Oh, and it's cheaper because it's a giant piece of metal.

 

[Reciprocity]

you're joking right?

over time the value of any solar diminishes greatly. A 1kW roof once was $8k now can be replaced by a 5kW for $3k . (Aus figures)

same will happen for solar tiles, a $50k solar roof will do the work of 'tomorrow's' $10k commodity solar roof. and will be valued the same way. Kinda like kitchen appliances.

add to that, the tsunami of pain that utility solar will bring to all mid day energy suppliers (nuclear, coal, residential solar).
Curtailment is no longer a theoretical construct, it has arrived.
https://www.caiso.com/Documents/Wind_SolarReal-TimeDispatchCurtailmentReportApr26_2017.pdf

Yes I'm serious, I'm talking about the roof only assuming solar and solar tiles net out the same on terms of long term value. The value of the roof will be equal to it's future replacement cost. The difference between asphalt and a high-end tile roof is that they last a very, very long time and can easily last 100 years. Along that 100 tear timeline, you will replace your asphalt roof at least 5-6 times. The cost to replace the roof each time is factored into the value of the home at the future cost, which will always be higher sure to inflation. In 50 years your asphalt roof + solar would have cost you more the solar tiles and be worth a negative amount to your home value because it needs to be replace AGAIN and the non solar tiles are still good for infinity or 50 years if you don't believe Tesla. This means your 50 year old tile roof is worth half what it cost originally plus it's current value to replace, which in 50 years will have doubled. Both would potentially require new solar. When people but houses they factor in when they will have to replace things like water heaters, furnace, AC, and yes the roof. The value is lowered by the cost of the replaced at that point I'm time. If the item is half way through it's life then it's valued at half the original cost minus the replacement cost in the future.

The tiles will start to fail and degrade but there is no reason to think they won't generate electricity for 50 years. You can replace the solar tiles just as easily as solar panels, no one is forcing consumers to keep degraded tiles on there roof, tough you may never replace them as you might ba able to power your entire home from a cold fusion toaster.

A lot depends on where you live, if there is no hail, wind and not to much sun, asphalt can last 50 years and you should get asphalt and put solar on top, 100% no better choice. Sun kills asphalt quicker, hail and wind can destroy asphalt in an instant.

Think of it this way. Brick and rock exterior vs siding. Do you ever see siding on a mansion? Because brick and rock can last forever and siding has to be replaced. Brick and rock will also appreciate with the home as it ages and siding will not as it will need to be replaced sooner then later.

 

[brucet999]

Full quote:

Taylor, Forward Labs CEO, told Green Tech Media that the company is aiming to do the right thing for the right reason. In contrast, he believes that Tesla’s design is the “wrong thing for the right reason.” “It’s wrong to devalue people’s houses with something that doesn’t look good. It’s wrong to put holes in roofs; it’s wrong to go to war with homeowner associations; and it’s wrong to try to ram something down people’s throats that they don’t want,” he said.

End quote.

I was favorably impressed with the Forward Labs product as a viable solar roof for those whose buildings are compatible with standing seam style.

I am not impressed with Taylor's comments, nor the disinformation in his comparison sheet with Tesla Solar Roof.

"…devalue peoples' houses with something that doesn't look good," True about the Dow product and all other imbedded products before Tesla Solar Roof, maybe, but obviously not about Solar Roof.

"…it's wrong to put holes in roofs…" What? Roofs have had holes put in them for vents, stacks flues, skylights, etc for centuries. All shingle roofs before about 1960 were made with skip sheathing - 1x6 boards nailed across rafters 4" to 6" apart - to which the shingles or shakes or slates were nailed, so nearly half the roof was "holes".

"…It's wrong to go to war with homeowner associations…" What is he even talking about?

"…and it's wrong to try to ram something down peoples' throats that they don't want." Again, what is he talking about?

As to his comparison sheet, Taylor claims 19% efficiency, but the best panels on the market are rated at 19.7% without any color layer that would block about 10% of sunlight and with 4" of air gap beneath them instead of puny 1/2" air channels to cool them. Forward Labs panels may reach 19% STC rating with a short flash of light at 77ºF in a lab, but operating in the real world where every degree of temperature increase reduces cell output, and where panels, with 4" air gap underneath for cooling heat up over 36ºF at ambient 68ºF air temperature, his roof panels will undoubtedly run much hotter and therefor deliver much less than 19% efficiency.

Taylor's claim that Tesla will put out only 11W/sq ft, Is likely based on the Tuscan Tile version where less than half the exposed tile is solar-producing, in which case it is certainly too high, or a far worse than likely evaluation of the smooth tiles, that I figure could deliver about 15% efficiency. Either way, it is misleading, given that there are no published efficiency stats yet for Tesla Tiles.

 

[Snerruc]

HPM on the Big Island has been selling a solar metal roof for years. The county used it on some low cost housing not far from me almost a decade ago. Hard to tell the Solar part from the rest- just a little color difference. My homeowners assoc. has strict control on roofs here. I must use a specific shingle in a specific color on my house. They do allow panels.

 

[jhm]

German battery giant Sonnen teams with Australian solar tile maker to take on Tesla

Do we know anything about Bristile? Sonnen is largely priced out of the market.

Nonetheless, I'm pleased to see some competition arise. I do think that integrated solar will be the next leg forward for solar.

 

[Tanquen]

German battery giant Sonnen teams with Australian solar tile maker to take on Tesla

Do we know anything about Bristile? Sonnen is largely priced out of the market.

Nonetheless, I'm pleased to see some competition arise. I do think that integrated solar will be the next leg forward for solar.

Yes we definitely need the competition. I was really hoping to get the Tesla roof but it looks like it's about 30 to 40% more expensive than Musk was alluding to. I don't know what he was talking about there's no way it's even close to regular new roof price. Maybe in a year or two after they've moved production to the solar gigafactory. 30k+ for a 1000 square foot roof is a little crazy. I was thinking I could maybe do 20K.

Also what's up with the $2,000+ install for the $5,500 Powerwall????

 

[jhm]

Revolutionary glass building blocks generate their own solar energy

Here's the perfect compliment to a solar roof: solar glass bricks.

 

[ValueAnalyst]

13 months and counting...

Electrek on May 1 2017: Tesla is not delaying its solar roof launch – it’s still coming this summer

 

[goinfraftw]

"Production is expected to ramp up "considerably" during 2018" - Tesla executives.

From Nov. 6 - Some more news and quotes about the Solar Roof ramp up in Buffalo in 2018.

 

[DragonWatch]

"Production is expected to ramp up "considerably" during 2018" - Tesla executives.

From Nov. 6 - Some more news and quotes about the Solar Roof ramp up in Buffalo in 2018.

@adesai thanks for the input.

I have solar panels on our primary home in Oly, WA. They were installed by us in August 2013. We invested in everything Washington in order to qualify for the highest return on Netmetering, based on a law that is to end in 2020. Recently our Washington legislature passed a new law which did not extend the provisions of the law to end in 2020. Immediate cause and effect, is that the agency responsible for monitoring the program changed! We home and business owners must reregister with this new agency or loose the financial monies associated with Netmetering. The law went into effect in September 2017 with a window of two weeks to reregister quickly. The rest of us are on hold since the legislature is still peeing on itself on the specifics. The deadline to reregister is April 2018, with no way to do it as of this writing. My assumption is that the legislature is hoping to cut the program based on people/businesses failing to stay on top of the conversation plan, or just give up all together.
When talking to the representative involved in the conversation; I stated that in 2020 I would need to buy a battery system. He immediately asked, “why.” I said, “I’ll be damned if I intend to provide free electricity to PSE.”
FYI ~ PSE = Puget Sound Energy (Owned by a Canadian company, the last I heard).
PSE is by far my top listed buffoon management system ~ period. Example ~ they billed me twice in October and failed to react until I called them on the problem. At which time their excuse was due to a programming issue:-( No comment on the fact that I had to contact them, as opposed to their preemptive notifications to customers. But wait, there is more. Instead of electronically refunding us, they had to cut a check and mail it to us ~ just them it Monday. Oh, but wait ~ because we have two gas meters, and two accounts (under the same name and address) we had to receive two separate checks instead of one with a comment that applied to two different meter readings. There is nothing more frustrating than dealing with voucher educated buffoons. I can go on and on with specific examples, but then I am not sure you have all the time in the world to laugh and cry with me here in Olympia
I am guessing people will begin installing more battery systems to augment solar panels/roof solar tiles going forward.

 

[Buckminster]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1653184702717599747

 

[Buckminster]

Tesla Solar Roof is a ‘revolutionary product,’ says builder of massive 50 kW project

 

[Buckminster]

No Solar Roof on the house I am building either. Tesla told me to get stuffed after two years when we finally got to the point in construction where we were ready for the roof, with multiple forms signed and final applications filed with utility and township. We need a roof immediately and I am clueless.

First world problems.

I get the feeling that the Tesla Solar Roof is pretty much DOA as a mass market commodity.

Think Tesla energy is all about storage going forward, not generation.

I think Tesla are still improving the product to make it easier to install. Install crews are difficult to scale. Tesla will want to move towards new build housing in bulk installed by bots even if it takes 20 years.

 

[Buckminster]

While I'm certain you're right about the future being storage, the future of the solar roof will be more about partnering with housing estate construction companies. It's easy & profitable to coordinate a neighborhood of 200-500 homes with the same basic roof. Eventually everyone will figure out that retrofitting one roof at a time isn't worth the pain.

 

[Buckminster]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1769951149392585191