October 24, 2017 | By RGR Marketing Blog

 

SolarCity Continues to Pioneer – Solar Roof Tiles Are Here

For a long time now, excitement has been building about Elon Musk and Tesla’s new solar roof tiles. SolarCity’s flagship project has promised to revolutionize the world of solar energy. So where do we stand right now?

If you’re in the solar installation business, developments like this one don't come along too often, and they could revolutionize the way you do business. So here’s everything you need to know about new developments in solar roof tiles coming out of the Elon Musk empire.

Anyone Can Order Solarcity's Solar Panels

As of this May, anyone can order Solarcity’s solar panels. However, of the four styles, all of which are designed to look like real, beautiful roof tiles and not typical, metal solar panels, only smooth glass and textured glass are available now. The other two styles, Tuscan glass and French Slate, will be available in 2018.

The look of these panels is one of the big draws of the new Elon Musk product. Musk put the solar cells behind the glass, so you cannot see them, and all that people walking by can see is a beautiful new roof. Part of the draw here is that this effectively increases curb appeal while simultaneously increasing the value of the home with its built-in energy savings, and a roof that will probably last longer than a traditional roof.

Are These New Solar Roof Tiles Actually Cheaper, Too?

Although originally, Musk had boasted that the new solar roofs would be cheaper than a traditional roof, it is appearing that is not the case. However, the company stands by the claim that the energy savings a homeowner will enjoy will eat up that difference in cost very quickly.

The current cost of the new solar roof tiles is $42 per square foot of shingle. However, Solarcity claims that with the energy savings factored in, that cost can be pared down to $21.85 per square foot. In addition, not every roof tile needs to be an active solar converter, and included non-active panels only cost $11 per square foot.

You can customize how many active solar panels vs. non-solar panels you want. It is feasible to have your roof be as much as 70 percent solar panels, but the typical home will actually have about 40 percent. A $1000 deposit is also required. Those who convert their home to solar using the Elon Musk panels will be eligible for the 30 percent Federal tax credit, and possibly state tax credits as well.

How to Help Your Customers Consider Getting Solar Roof Tiles

Potential solar roof customers can go to the Tesla website to find an online calculator that will tell them everything they need to know about their solar roof, including an estimate of how much it will cost, what their energy savings will be over time, and how much energy the system will actually generate for your home.

SolarCity itself installs the customer’s new solar roof, with the installation generally taking about five to seven days, which is fairly standard for a new roof. Customers also get the option of installing the Powerwall battery, which is really one of the most attractive features of the whole system, and anyone buying one of these roofs would be advised to get it.

This is the highly-efficient storage battery for the Tesla solar panels, which store enough solar energy to keep the home powered even if the grid goes down, so there is never any interruption of service.

Musk, Tesla and Solarcity are so confident in the strength and durability of their panels that they warranty them forever—or at least for the lifetime of your house. They call it the Infinity Warranty and it is another huge selling point of these solar panels.

 

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