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

The picture in your thoughts once you consider photo voltaic panels might be fairly customary: flat black or blue slabs organized on a rooftop. But look intently on the roofs of some homes and also you may discover a shock.

Tesla gave the photo voltaic system a brand new look. Instead of photo voltaic 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 current roof and captures daylight to assist energy your property in a clear and streamlined method. Tesla’s product is one among a small however rising market of photo voltaic shingles, which provide a special look and set up setup in comparison with conventional photo voltaic panels.

There are some important downsides, specifically that the Tesla Solar Roof is kind of costly. (Tesla does not function a public relations division to discipline requests for remark.) 

For owners excited about photo voltaic vitality, that raises the query: Should you go together with the customary photo voltaic panel system or strive the much less intrusive — however dear — Tesla Solar Roof? To make it easier to together with your shopping for questions, I’ve compiled an inventory of the most important variations between the 2 photo voltaic choices. Read on.

Solar panels must be comparatively acquainted by now, as they’ve been gaining recognition and have change into extra inexpensive lately. An array may be situated in your roof or set to face in your yard, relying on what works greatest for you. While there are a selection of various manufacturers and sorts of panels, all of them provide a clear vitality various to fossil gas sources like coal or pure fuel. These panels may be costly, and a few are tougher to put in than others. But for essentially the most half, you’ll be able to count on cheaper vitality payments, a smaller carbon footprint and elevated property worth. 

Read extra: 5 factor to think about before you purchase photo voltaic panels

Instead of utilizing panels, the Tesla Solar Roof turns your total roof into your photo voltaic array. The Tesla Solar Roof makes use of tempered glass panels that exchange your customary shingles, offering the identical safety you’d count on from a conventional roof whereas additionally capturing photo voltaic vitality. The Tesla Solar Roof is novel, however much less confirmed and more durable to switch to a different house in the event you transfer as a result of they’re {custom} made for every roof. 

Solar panels or a Tesla Solar Roof?

Pricing

Price is hard relating to photo voltaic methods as a result of quite a bit relies on what your own home and property can deal with. There’s the price of photo voltaic panels and the infrastructure wanted to assist them, after which there’s the set up charge — and you must account for the capability of the system. You can get tax credit and different incentives for putting in these methods, in order that’ll assist ease the worth considerably. Industry information reveals that the standard photo voltaic panel system prices someplace between $3 and $4 per watt — so a 5 kW system may run you $15,000 to $20,000. 

Conventional photo voltaic panels are cheaper than the Tesla Solar Roof. Tesla has additionally confronted some challenges retaining the worth down, which has been a difficulty for some folks. Estimates recommend a value per watt (earlier than including a battery) of almost $5 for the Tesla Solar Roof — which might be $25,000 for a 5 kW system. 

Installation

The set up course of for photo voltaic vitality methods may be difficult. In basic, conventional photo voltaic panels are simpler as a result of they are often put in in other places relying on the format of your property — both in your roof or on the bottom. The Tesla Solar 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 acquainted with the Tesla Solar Roof system than standard panels, so this will create challenges to find a succesful installer.

Solar energy capabilities

Both the Tesla Solar Roof and conventional photo voltaic panels may have an analogous capacity to satisfy your energy wants, though your capacity to scale your solar energy system to your electrical energy wants could be extra restricted with the Tesla Solar Roof in comparison with panels. It will seemingly be simpler to develop a setup with conventional photo voltaic panels sooner or later in the event you discover your electrical energy wants have elevated. Solar panels are usually extra environment friendly than the photo voltaic roof.

Mobility and longevity

One draw back of the Tesla Solar Roof is the truth that it actually cannot transfer with you. Because it’s custom-fit to the roof of your property, you’ll be able to’t pack it up and set up it on one other house. Conventional photo voltaic panels provide a bit extra flexibility right here, as you would doubtlessly take your photo voltaic system with you — although chances are you’ll wish to depart it to profit from the increase in property worth that they supply. 

Read extra: Want one thing smaller than a whole-home photo voltaic system? See our picks for one of the best transportable photo voltaic panels and photo voltaic turbines.

Winner for many: Solar panels

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

Tesla’s Solar Roof reveals quite a lot of promise, however the {custom} tiles may be cost-prohibitive and early troubles with the product make it onerous to advocate at this stage. Future variations of the Tesla Solar Roof might enhance and make good on the promising idea. For now, follow what works so it can save you in your vitality invoice and shrink your carbon footprint.