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SolarCity Plans To Release New 'Solar Roof' Product Next Year (computerworld.com)
An anonymous reader writes: SolarCity, the American provider of energy services recently purchased by Tesla Motors for $2.6 billion, is planning to produce a new "solar roof" product next year. Computerworld reports: "Five million roofs are replaced each year in the U.S., so instead of simply swapping out old shingles with new ones, why not turn the whole roof into a solar power generator that's integrated with your home's electrical utility? That is SolarCity's plan for a new product it expects to begin producing next year, according to statements made during the company's second-quarter earnings call last week. During the call, SolarCity Chief Technology Officer Peter Rive alluded to a new product that would be produced at the soon to open Buffalo, N.Y., solar panel manufacturing facility. Then SolarCity co-founder and Chairman Elon Musk interjected and said the product would be a solar roof, 'as opposed to a [solar] module on a roof.' The solar roof also has the advantage that it doesn't 'cannibalize' any existing SolarCity product, such as solar panels installed atop roofs, Musk said." "If your roof is nearing end of life, you definitely don't want to put solar panels on it because you're going to have to replace the roof," Musk said. "So there's a huge market segment that's kind of inaccessible to SolarCity. So, why not have a solar roof that's better in many other ways as well," he continued. "We don't want to turn over all our cards right now, but I think people are going to be really excited about what they'll see."
And all those reasons are why solar roofs don't exist everywhere else in the world.
Oh wait, they do.
I wonder how much of this solar build-out is due to an economic bubble in the industry. We've been looking into solar since we have a new roof, and the impression we've gotten both from SolarCity and a parade of local contractors is that they're all lining up before the (very lucrative) tax credits go away. Neither methods (leasing or paying for the system outright) seems like a particularly good deal. If you go the SolarCity route, they take your tax credit _and_ charge you monthly for your panels. If you go the local guy route, you pay (in my mind) hugely inflated prices, and they're trying to cover that up by saying "look at how much of a tax credit you're getting!" since it's a percentage of the price of the system.
I'm guessing all these local solar companies are going to be gone as soon as the tax credits dry up...there's no way they can continue selling systems for the prices they're charging. My impression is that these local solar companies are run by the typical hustler type who always has their eye on the next big money making opportunity, and will be on to the next one as soon as the business is inconvenient. It's too bad, because I'd definitely go for it if they would charge reasonable rates and not try to dupe idiotic homeowners who can't see past the tax credit carrot. In my mind, SolarCity is even more of a flat-out scam; they're the ones offering "no money out of pocket!" conversions, conveniently forgetting to mention that you're locked into a leasing contract with them. It's the perfect setup for them - the same mentality that goes into car leasing. Can't afford an S-class Mercedes? No problem, $999 a month, look, it's cheaper than a loan! Such a deal! Sign today!!
Here in upstate NY, winters often mean that I need to get out our roof rake to pull snow off our roof. If I don't, ice dams form and then runoff from melting snow gets under our roof shingles and can get into our house. My questions for SolarCity would be: Would these solar shingles hold up to having a roof rake scraped across them? (It would be useless if I had to replace shingles every year due to roof raking damage.) Also, how would they handle snow melt getting under the shingles? Presumably, there will be wiring there. Would moisture under the shingles cause issues?
And there you have it. Immediately upon any new like this, some slashdotter comes on and tries to derail the idea with their personal situation.
My guess is that if you have feet of snow on your roof, these are not for you.
The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
Here in upstate NY, winters often mean that I need to get out our roof rake to pull snow off our roof. If I don't, ice dams form and then runoff from melting snow gets under our roof shingles and can get into our house. My questions for SolarCity would be: Would these solar shingles hold up to having a roof rake scraped across them? (It would be useless if I had to replace shingles every year due to roof raking damage.) Also, how would they handle snow melt getting under the shingles? Presumably, there will be wiring there. Would moisture under the shingles cause issues?
Roofs are designed to prevent ice dams. If you are getting them, then your roof (or attic) needs help. Most likely, you don't have enough insulation in your attic. Ice dams happen because the underside of the snow on the roof is warm enough to melt the snow. That warmth comes from the attic. The attic should be cold enough that the roof material stays cold, and the snow on the roof doesn't melt on the underside.
I used to get ice dams on a home in Michigan. It already had insulation between the joists, but that wasn't enough. Adding a second layer of insulation, perpendicular to the joists, resolved the ice dam issue.
I think the intention is the replace the shingles and have your roof made out of solar panels. I've had this same idea for a long time. There's no benefit of asphalt shingles other than the relatively low cost.
I hate those damn things. We have a low pitched roof and shingles don't last long on them. So it's like every 10 years and new ones. As well, if they aren't laid right, heaven help you. Some asshat replaced them before we bought the place, and had a small place, about an inch square where they didn't cover. Right on a gutter We got a lot of wood rot right there. That was fun to fix.
I wanted to go metal last time we replaced them, but my better half thought metal "looked cheap" However now that we are looking at our third replacement, and she's changed her mind. But these solarpanels? Very interesting indeed.
If you could replace your roof with a solar panel system that #1 protected your home and #2 provided a significant amount of power generation I wonder what the total cost of ownership would be. At current electricity rates, I'll pay about $20,000 over the next 20 years to the electric company. I would also pay $15,000-$20,000 every 20-30 years to get new shingles.
Make certain to do your own calculations, and not rely on people who have a vested interest in you using some other method. I bought a new super high efficiency gas furnace, replacing my oil furnace, 4 years ago - it's already paid for itself. Oil people said it might be 15 years.Same with insulation. I'm spending per year what some friends pay per month in energy.
As well, there are the incalculables. Access to the electricity. We have a lot of power outages in my area. And with the whacked weather, we are sometimes out for a while - one time almost a week. Your own power source can make life a lot nicer. It was nice to have lights and furnace that week. Note I wasn't using solar that week, just another power source.
The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
They very well might. Never underestimate the power of timing combined with marketing. It's what made the iPhone and countless other products.
I looked at the Dow and other systems, and they were quite expensive and not really wanting to talk to individual home owners, and when they did it was ridiculously obtuse and no installers would touch the things. They were 5 years too early and didn't have enough juice to make it happen, both likely inside of the company to essentially go all in, nor with public mind-share and installer credibility.
Cells are much cheaper now, home solar is much more of a known commodity, and you have a company with nation-wide installation presence fronting the install and handling all of that, and a man with free-press touting this. It definitely could have legs. If Musk does one thing well, it's identify things that are good ideas and feasible, but everyone is timid about, and then just take that idea and go balls-to-the-wall all out bet everything on it. Thus, he becomes a driving force, and every success adds to his confidence and ability to take massive bets and the cycle continues.