Tesla Solar Shingles: How Does Their Cost Measure Up?
When Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors first announced his company’s entrance into the solar shingle industry, he hinted that Tesla shingles would cost less than traditional roofs once energy savings were taken into account.
Now that they can be pre-ordered in the US and there are more specifics regarding costs and estimated energy savings, we can determine whether Musk’s claims were accurate.
Tesla solar shingles cost
Calculating the cost of a Tesla solar shingle roof is tricky because there are a number of factors that can cause the total to vary widely. The biggest factor is which direction the home faces and how much of the roof is exposed to enough sunlight each day to justify having photovoltaic cells there. Part of the brilliance of Tesla’s strategy is that unlike traditional solar roofing solutions where the section with solar panels looks drastically different from the rest of the roof, a Tesla solar roof is completely uniform. That’s because the shingles come in two varieties: one that contains the cells than convert the sun’s rays into electricity and ones that don’t but look exactly the same. The company has released the cost of a Tesla roof at $21.85 per square foot but that is only assuming a roof that is 35% solar shingles and 65% ordinary glass shingles.
According to Musk the average home would have 40% solar shingles so it’s unclear why they didn’t release the higher estimated cost based on the average. Furthermore, some homes might have as much as 70% solar shingles.
Further complicating the cost is calculating the estimated energy savings over the course of 30 years (the life expectancy of a Tesla roof) and subtracting that from the initial cost.
Comparing costs
According to Tesla’s estimates, after accounting for energy savings, a Tesla roof will actually net you a profit over the course of five years. The cost for their non-solar glass shingles comes in at about $11 per square foot while their solar shingles cost about $42 per square foot. So while the initial cost is significantly higher than even the most expensive traditional roofing materials, the costs are offset over time.
If you’re looking for a more energy efficient material at a more affordable initial price point, however, you may want to speak with a Spokane roofing contractor about metal or tile.
Home improvement news brought to you by bartonroof.com
Source: electrek.co/2017/05/10/tesla-solar-roof-tiles-price-warranty/
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