Solar Panels vs. Tesla Solar Roof: Here’s the Difference

The picture in your thoughts if you consider solar panels might be fairly commonplace: flat black or blue slabs organized on a rooftop. However look intently on the roofs of some homes and also you would possibly discover a shock.

Tesla gave the photo voltaic system a new look. As an alternative of solar panels that sit in your entrance yard or stand out on the roof, the corporate determined to show each shingle right into a photo voltaic panel. The Tesla Solar Roof replaces an present roof and captures daylight to assist energy your own home in a clear and streamlined method. Tesla’s product is one among a small however rising market of solar shingles, which supply a unique look and set up setup in comparison with conventional photo voltaic panels.

There are some important downsides, specifically that the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof is quite expensive. (Tesla would not function a public relations division to subject requests for remark.) 

For owners all for photo voltaic power, that raises the query: Must you go together with the standard solar panel system or strive the much less intrusive — however expensive — Tesla Photo voltaic Roof? That can assist you along with your shopping for questions, I’ve compiled a listing of the most important variations between the 2 photo voltaic choices. Learn on.

Photo voltaic panels or a Tesla Photo voltaic Roof?

Pricing

Worth is difficult in the case of photo voltaic techniques as a result of rather a lot depends upon what your own home and property can deal with. There’s the cost of solar panels and the infrastructure wanted to help them, after which there’s the set up payment — and it’s a must to account for the capability of the system. You may get tax credits and different incentives for putting in these techniques, in order that’ll assist ease the worth considerably. Trade information exhibits that the typical solar panel system costs someplace between $3 and $4 per watt — so a 5 kW system would possibly run you $15,000 to $20,000. 

Typical photo voltaic panels are cheaper than the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof. Tesla has additionally confronted some challenges preserving the worth down, which has been a problem for some individuals. Estimates suggest a price per watt (earlier than including a battery) of practically $5 for the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof — which might be $25,000 for a 5 kW system. 

Set up

The set up course of for photo voltaic power techniques could be sophisticated. Generally, traditional solar panels are simpler as a result of they are often put in somewhere else relying on the structure of your property — both in your roof or on the bottom. The Tesla Photo voltaic Roof can solely be put in in your roof, clearly, and is a little more of a to-do because it requires changing your total roof. There are fewer contractors aware of the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof system than typical panels, so this could create challenges to find a succesful installer.

Solar energy capabilities

Each the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof and conventional photo voltaic panels may have the same means to satisfy your energy wants, though your means to scale your solar energy system to your electrical energy wants is perhaps extra restricted with the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof in comparison with panels. It can doubtless be simpler to broaden a setup with conventional photo voltaic panels sooner or later when you discover your electrical energy wants have elevated. Solar panels are generally more efficient than the photo voltaic roof.

Mobility and longevity

One draw back of the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof is the truth that it actually cannot transfer with you. As a result of it’s custom-fit to the roof of your own home, you possibly can’t pack it up and set up it on one other residence. Typical photo voltaic panels provide a bit extra flexibility right here, as you might doubtlessly take your photo voltaic system with you — although you might need to depart it to profit from the increase in property worth that they supply. 

Learn extra: Need one thing smaller than a whole-home photo voltaic system? See our picks for the most effective portable solar panels and solar generators.

Winner for many: Photo voltaic panels

For now, typical photo voltaic panels are the safer guess if you’re seeking to make the change to solar energy. They’re a confirmed product. They’re additionally sometimes cheaper and provide a bit extra flexibility when it comes to how you put in them. 

Tesla’s Photo voltaic Roof exhibits a number of promise, however the {custom} tiles could be cost-prohibitive and early troubles with the product make it onerous to advocate at this stage. Future variations of the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof might enhance and make good on the promising idea. For now, persist with what works so it can save you in your power invoice and shrink your carbon footprint.