Free tesla solar roof. Why Tesla Solar Roof?

Tesla Solar Reviews, Panels, and Installation

Do Tesla’s solar panels live up to the hype? Read our in-depth review to get all your questions answered.

• Fast Facts
• Benefits Drawbacks
• Tesla Solar Reviews
• Tesla Overview
• Cost Payment
• Our Recommendation
• FAQs

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Although Tesla started as an auto company, it made a name for itself in the solar industry when it unveiled its solar roof in 2016. The product has a modern, eye-catching roof design that uses small solar panels to mimic the appearance of regular roof shingles. This sleek look, combined with Tesla’s widely recognizable name, has made it a popular choice among homeowners. But how good are Tesla solar panels, really?

We analyzed solar panel specifications, industry trends, customer service reviews, and more to determine the top solar energy companies available to put this to the test. This Tesla solar panels review covers the company’s products, payment options, reputation, services, and more.

Important Note: Tesla makes solar panels and batteries, but it doesn’t install them. Choose from one of the Tesla certified installers below to install your Tesla solar products.

Offers unique solar roofs for low-key aesthetic Offers 24/7 active monitoring Produces its own solar battery, the Powerwall

Available in 50 states Has been in the industry since 1985 Provides its own monocrystalline solar panels

Available in 23 states 25-year warranties for the product, labor, and inverter Power protection guarantee

25-year workmanship and product warranty Perks for new construction homeowners Available in 20 states

Benefits and Drawbacks of Tesla

We analyzed the 100 most recent additions to Google Reviews for Tesla ’s headquarters in Palo Alto, California. Overall, the reviews were mixed, with 47% being three stars or less. However, these reviews also covered Tesla’s cars, not just its solar products. Customers primarily complained that Tesla doesn’t have human customer service representatives. People also had difficulty scheduling repairs for products like its solar battery, the Powerwall. positive reviews praise the quality of Tesla’s products and the company’s efforts to make renewable energy accessible. Read what some customers had to say below.

“ Absolutely love our … Solar Panels : We had a 5 kW system and upgraded to 10 kW, customer service was top notch, and the whole experience was delightful (both times). Powerwalls : A MUST if you’re getting solar … love the app, look at it three times/day. Always a fun challenge to get below net grid usage. Welcome to the future built by Tesla. … We are largely energy independent. Thank you, Tesla Team! ” —Aaron Nutten via Google Reviews

“ The salespeople are very helpful, and they answer all questions you may have…. ” —Libby Chang via Google Reviews

“ I’ve called customer service four separate times, and I still don’t have access to automatic billing in my Tesla Account. Terrible customer service. ” —Brandon T. via Google Reviews

“ Tesla energy use[s] deceptive practices and conman sales tactics! First off, it took over two years from the date of the deposit to installation of the two Powerwalls ! And before installation they were going to finance the project at 2.5% and get me the SGIP rebates. I was told in emails and verbally that Tesla would file the SGIP rebate documents with the utility company…. Now after the project is completed I’m being told that they can no longer file the SGIP forms, and I will have to pay full price for the project. ” —Jay Garden via Google Reviews

Invisible Solar

With a fully integrated design, Tesla solar roof tiles combine both solar and non solar tiles to create a cohesive look. Each solar and non-solar tile is virtually indistinguishable in color and trim. Your brand-new roof looks incredible from any angle. View our Tesla Solar Roof Project Gallery!

Keep your home cool and comfortable by allowing hot air to vent with high-quality underlayment and integrated air gaps.

Tesla Solar Roof vs Solar Panels

As we’ve mentioned, Tesla glass solar roof tiles are far less bulky than traditional solar panels and are also more durable.

Those aren’t the only advantages of this newer technology, however. and more homeowners have been trying them out and reaping the benefits, and we’ve been hearing amazing feedback:

• Extra home value. If you do decide to sell your home at some point, this modern feature will be eye-catching to prospective buyers.
• Full roof upgrade. These tiles don’t sit on top of your roof–they are part of your roof. So making this upgrade will also give you a brand new roof to enjoy!
• Beautiful design. These tiles aren’t just undetectable as solar pieces. They also come in a few different styles to complement your home.

Tesla Solar Roof Warranty

Made with tempered glass, Solar Roof tiles are more than three times stronger than standard roofing tiles and engineered for all-weather durability. The Tesla Solar Roof installed by AES has a 25-year “No Leaks” Weatherization Warranty. And it’s backed by the level of quality and innovation you have come to expect from the Tesla brand.

How Much Does the Tesla Solar Roof Cost?

The Tesla Solar Roof is a premium roof. You should anticipate a cost of 20-30 per square foot in addition to the solar power capacity at 5000.20/watt. Potentially the entire solar roof is eligible for the 30% federal tax credit. The cost is similar to other premium roofing plus traditional solar panels.

To get a firm estimate on your Tesla Roof cost, call us at (770) 691-0966 or send us an email.

Tesla Roofs cost a comparable amount to other premium roofing materials, and you get a roof that can actually save you money year after year. Not only will the Tesla Solar Roof increase the property value of your home, it will save you money on your monthly electric bill and bring you a return on your investment that increases every time the utility raises its rates for decades into the future.

Tesla Solar Roof: One year on, an owner reveals what it’s really like to live on solar

Elon Musk wants to make your roof your own mini-grid.

In 1954, Bell Labs revealed an invention that would change the future of clean energy: The world’s first known practical silicon solar cell.

The New York Times reportedly hailed it as “the beginning of a new era, leading eventually to the realization of one of mankind’s most cherished dreams.”

That dream — to use the energy of the Sun to create electricity — is still unrealized, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been progress.

All you need to do is take a walk through a city, and you can see them everywhere: solar panels powering homes, offices, and municipal buildings. Since these panels made their way onto roofs in the 1970s, new data from the Solar Energy Industries Association suggests that installed residential capacity in the U.S. equates to 23 gigawatts in 2021. That accounts for nearly 20 percent of the U.S.’s total solar energy generated.

Today, Tesla’s Solar Roof is leading the charge with an innovation of its own: cutting out the middle step between building the roof and installing the solar panels. Tesla’s specially-designed tiles mean anyone can outfit their home with what looks like a typical (if a bit glossy) roof that provides the house with power.

HORIZONS is an Inverse newsletter on the innovations of today that will shape the world of tomorrow. Forecast the future by signing up for free.

Tesla Solar Roof up close.

The roof tiles are limited in availability, which means Tesla Solar Roofs are unlikely to become as ubiquitous as the bulkier panels we see pasted onto roofs around the neighborhood. Some estimates put the cost of Solar Roofs tens of thousands of dollars above a similar, more conventional solar panel installation.

Tesla is noticeably tight-lipped about how many Solar Roofs it has sold. The company claims it has fitted solar energy systems on 400,000 roofs in the U.S., but does not reveal how many are Solar Roofs versus retrofit solar panels. Pew Research in 2019 found that six percent of U.S. homeowners have installed solar panels, and the Census Bureau found there were 83.5 million owner-occupied housing units at the end of 2021.

But the few people that do own a Solar Roof say it has changed their life — just like the New York Times predicted solar cells could.

“I would definitely recommend the Solar Roof,” Tomas Nochta tells Inverse. Nochta lives in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, works in the hospitality industry, and has a 1,175-square-foot roof with enough sunlight-harvesting tiles to generate 7.6 kilowatts of power — enough to power Nochta’s home.

WHAT IS TESLA SOLAR ROOF?

Elon Musk’s Solar Roof was first unveiled in October 2016. Around two years later, Reuters reported that Tesla had only activated 12 roofs in California. Installations remained extremely limited in the U.S. until October 2019, when Tesla unveiled a tweaked version of the roof tiles to enable faster installation.

Ironically, CEO Elon Musk told an audience in 2019 that it would be the “year of the solar roof” — the year when solar deployments reached their lowest point since the roof’s launch.

In 2020, Musk claimed he wants Tesla’s energy business to expand from less than 10 percent of the company to 50 percent. Evidence suggests, however, that Tesla’s solar installs remain relatively limited.

Tesla’s solar deployments — which include its retrofit solar panels and the Solar Roof — in the fourth quarter of 2021 were effectively the same as the fourth quarter of 2020.

Tesla remains the second-largest residential solar installer in the U.S., behind first-placed Sunrun. Tesla’s 2021 total of 345 megawatts was an impressive 68 percent improvement over the previous year, but solar panel supplier Sunrun installed 792 megawatts of capacity that same year. Wood Mackenzie claims Sunrun accounts for 13 percent of the total residential solar market.

A chart depicting Tesla’s solar deployments over the past year.

In April 2021, Tesla announced plans to raise roof based on a given installation’s complexity. Musk admitted the company made “significant mistakes” in assessing how hard it would be to install certain roofs in an earnings call that month.

Musk’s long-term vision for the future is one where it’s “odd” for a roof not to collect energy to power the building within.

But how does an early adopter feel about Tesla’s roof? We asked.

Tesla Solar Roof: How it all came together

In January 2021, Nochta switched on his new roof. His 1,175-square-foot roof has enough solar-harvesting tiles to generate 7.6 kilowatts of power. The Tesla Solar Roof uses a mix of solar tiles and dummy tiles; the latter used at the edge of the installation to enable teams to more easily cut edge tiles down to size and fit the roof seamlessly to the house.

Nochta first installed solar panels on his house in 2016, supplied by SolarCity. SolarCity merged with Tesla later that year.

The first installation was less than three kilowatts — not much energy, which meant the couple was using slightly more than they produced. But as the household grew to add children and parents, Nochta discovered it was surprisingly difficult to expand the existing solar panel system to add more capacity. The new panels would have to work as part of a dual system, with two inverters feeding into the house.

These inverters are vital for getting solar power into the home. As Energy.gov explains, they convert the panels’ direct current electricity — with a single voltage in one direction — into the alternating current used in homes where the voltage moves between positive and negative.

Nochta had “a couple of friends that do roofs” and they estimated it would cost 8,000 to 10,000 to replace the roof. Including new solar panels would cost another 10,000 to 15,000.

When Inverse checked Tesla’s retrofit solar panel website, these estimates seemed accurate. For a home in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, Tesla charges:

• 10,128 for a 4.8-kilowatt solar panel installation
• 20,256 for a 9.6-kilowatt installation
• 11,000 for one Powerwall battery

A 9.6-kilowatt installation with a battery would come to 31,256 total. Still, Tesla’s website notes that customers could benefit from a 6,205 Federal Tax Credit, plus a 7,392 Solar Renewable Energy Credit that could bring the total cost down to as low as 17,659.

That figure was close to the amount Nochta had already guessed he would spend on a new roof — so he took the plunge.

“At that point, it’s just, don’t do it, just get a Solar Roof done,” Nochta says.

Nochta’s project came to 42,000, including 14,500 for battery storage. It may have been cheaper for Nochta to get a new roof and solar panels — but he’s satisfied with the final installation and doesn’t regret the purchase.

See a video of Nochta’s installation below:

Nochta is one of a slowly growing number of happy Solar Roof owners. Inverse also spoke with:

• Amanda Tobler in California, who was an early adopter back in January 2018 with her 9.85-kilowatt roof
• Jason Lassen in Wisconsin, whose 15.9-kilowatt roof braved the cold weather in early 2021
• Tony Cho in Florida, whose giant 44-kilowatt installation went viral in December 2021
• Richard and Beth Parrish’s California project in March 2022, which powered two Tesla electric vehicles

How to get Tesla’s Solar Roof

Nochta ordered his roof in July 2020, months after Musk announced new third-generation tiles that would enable faster installations. But Nochta says he also did “a lot of research” to try and move the project along.

“I was an asshole, I’ll tell you that!” he says. “I think the people hate me at Tesla.”

Nochta organized the permits for building the roof himself. He contacted people to get the correct permissions, chased up the utility company to get approval, and stayed home to ensure every inspection went smoothly. A previous contact from the utility company, who had helped with his 2016 installation, pitched in again to support Nochta’s mission.

The people at Tesla may hate him, but Nochta says a “super nice” employee from Tesla Solar also contacted him to see if he could help them get the project off the ground faster.

Nochta’s install midway through.

The installation process took place over a couple of weeks in late 2020. It didn’t start well: Nochta had planned to remove the skylight from his roof. But the installer’s plans retained the feature. The mistake would have reduced Nochta’s Solar Roof down to 7.07 kilowatts.

“I would advise every single person to stay home on the first day and look at the plans of the installer,” he says.

But by November 2020, the roof was fully installed. After another month of waiting for final approval from the utility company, Nochta switched on the roof in January 2021.

Tomas Nochta’s roof fully completed.

Nochta says his roof has produced 8,148 kilowatt-hours of energy in his first year of usage — more than enough to cover the family’s energy usage, even with an electric vehicle.

But he still has to pay a 5 per month connection fee to keep his home on the grid, however — just in case.

“Our main reasons were to go green and use the Sun to produce our own electricity,” Nochta says. Objective achieved.

Nochta’s reality is fast becoming other Americans’ dreams. In a Pew Research report, 65 percent of U.S. adults in 2017 said the most important priority for addressing the country’s energy supply should be developing alternatives to coal, oil, and gas — like wind and solar. This was ranked above expanding production of existing sources like coal and gas.

In 2020, that figure had jumped from 65 percent to 79 percent of Americans who believe solar and wind — and other green alternatives — are the priority.

Musk said in 2019 that the goal of the Solar Roof was to “make roofs come alive.” With the surging interest in renewables, that vision might finally be just around the corner.

HORIZONS is an Inverse newsletter on the innovations of today that will shape the world of tomorrow. Forecast the future by signing up for free.

Step 2: Video Call

After you submit your project details you will receive an invitation to a video call with a sales representative to discuss your solar roof project. In this video call, our sales representative will walk you through the initial designs and arriving at an initial estimated install price.

Step 3: Design

Based on the initial estimate, if you decide Solar Roof could be right for your home, you can move into the formal design phase. In this phase we work with you to more thoroughly evaluate your solar energy goals, project requirements, and production potential for different solar roof configurations.

Sanford

How long is the wait for Tesla Solar Roofs?

Our wait times to begin installing Tesla Solar Roofs are 2-3 months, depending on the project. Smaller, simpler projects may begin more quickly, while larger, more complex projects may take longer to begin. We encourage you to contact us as soon as possible so we can schedule your project and get to work!

Can a Tesla Roof power a house?

Tesla Solar Roof can easily power most homes. Weddle Sons will consider several factors to make sure that your solar roof can provide adequate power to your home. Many of those factors include: Kilowatt Production We’ll make sure that your solar roof is capable of the kilowatt production (or electricity generation) your home needs. For large homes that have several power hungry appliances, like hot tubs and large HVAC systems, your kilowatt needs will be larger. Smaller homes with fewer appliances will need less kilowatt production. Weddle Sons will perform an energy audit during the design phase of your Solar Roof, so we’ll know exactly how much kilowatt production your home will need. Roof Design Not all roofs are capable of the same solar capture. Complicated roofs may need more photovoltaic tiles capable of solar capture compared to simple, flat roofs. Our design experts will make sure we know how many photovoltaic tiles are needed, and even if your roof design works with Solar Roof. Energy Independence Many of our solar product customers want to be as independent from the electric grid as possible. While not all municipalities allow for true independence, we’ll make sure you maximize your solar capture and energy production. Our design experts may recommend Powerwall, a home battery, to store excess electric production for when solar capture is low, like at night.

Does Tesla Solar Roof increase home value?

• Carbon footprint reduction
• Energy Independence
• Selling energy to the grid (depending on where you live)

Tesla Solar Roof also offers unique benefits not found with other solar products, like:

• A sleek, modern aesthetic
• A premium, durable roof
• Compatibility with products like Powerwall to aid in energy independence

Getting a Tesla Solar Roof is a great investment into your home. Not only will you get a cutting-edge solar product, you’re also receiving a premium roof.

Can you go off-grid with a Powerwall and Tesla Solar Roof?

It is possible to go off-grid with a Powerwall and a Tesla Solar Roof, but going off-grid requires more than just having these two products. If you want to be completely off-grid, you’ll need to have all of the following:

Sufficient Kilowatt Production (or Solar Capture)

If your roof isn’t capable of capturing enough sunlight for your electric needs, then you won’t be able to go off-grid. Weddle Sons will perform an energy audit of how much energy you currently use. Depending on the layout of your roof, it may not be possible to be completely off-grid, though our technicians will be able to determine this during your free consultation.

Living in a Municipality or Having a Utility That Allows You to Be Off-Grid

Unfortunately, even if you have the hardware and kilowatt production required to be off-grid, sometimes it’s simply not allowed. Local municipalities and utility companies often require you to be connected to the energy grid. Some will even cap how many kilowatts your roof is allowed to produce.

If you aren’t sure whether you’re allowed to go off-grid, our Certified Installers will let you know about energy regulations specific to your location and electric utility.

Do I get a tax credit with Tesla Solar Roof?

In 2022, your Tesla Solar Roof will be eligible for a tax credit equal to 26% of the total cost of the project. This includes the material costs and the installation costs. We guarantee we’ll get you the best tax credit available for your solar project.

How much energy can Tesla Solar Roof generate?

A Tesla Solar Roof can generate an enormous range of energy, starting from very low production for small homes to large production for larger homes or businesses. The lowest kilowatt roof we have installed was a 4KW roof, while the highest we have installed is a 51KW roof. Those aren’t lower and upper limits, it’s just the range of what our customers have needed!

How much kilowatts your Solar Roof can produce is largely based on the photovoltaic tiles (or PV tiles) used to build your roof. Each tile produces 72W of energy, but your roof will also have basic tempered glass tiles that can’t produce energy. Our Solar Roof experts will determine how many PV tiles are needed to satisfy your energy needs.