Solar tiles may not yet be viable as of now but Musks want to change that and make solar tiles so cheap that homeowners would want nothing else. Image Tesla
Elon Musk is a man of grand visions with the means to make things happen. So when he says that smart solar roof tiles can be made cheaper than old roofing materials, you can bet he will find a way make it so.
The Tesla CEO recently revealed the company’s solar shingle product shortly after shareholders approved the acquisition of SolarCity, reports Gizmodo.
“The basic proposition would be, ‘Would you like a roof that looks better than a normal roof, lasts twice as long, costs less and by the way generates electricity?’” said Musk. “It’s like, why would you get anything else?”
Musk states that development for making solar tile technology cheaper is progressing well, primarily thanks to the reduced shipping costs.
Traditional roofing tiles are fragile and requires careful handling to get from point A to point B. The solar tiles, however, are tempered glass and are far sturdier than earth-based tiles. This makes the solar tiles easer to ship and, thus, helps reduce their price tag.
Musk stated at one point, “The key is to make solar look good. We want you to call your neighbors over and say, ‘Check out this sweet roof.’” Alfred Bayle