ECOLOGY AND ENERGY PRODUCTION

ECOLOGY AND ENERGY PRODUCTION

Saturday, February 3, 2018




Tesla to start selling its 'invisible' solar roof tiles and Powerwall batteries at 800 Home Depot locations in the U.S.


  • Tesla-branded kiosks will demonstrate how the solar roof tiles and Powerall energy storage units work at 800 Home Depot stores across the U.S. 
  • The booths are expected to be set up in stores during the first half of this year
  • Elon Musk's electric car firm began taking deposits for the roof tiles in 2017 
Elon Musk's futuristic solar roof tiles and at-home energy storage units are about to become mainstream. 
Or, at least, that's what Tesla is hoping, by setting up shop in 800 Home Depot stores across the U.S. 
The Tesla-branded kiosks will sell the firm's solar roof tiles and Powerwall batteries at select Home Depot locations beginning sometime in the first half of this year. 
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Tesla is going to begin selling its Powerall batteries and solar roof tiles at 800 Home Depot locations nationwide. The move is part of the firm's effort to attract mainstream consumers
Tesla is going to begin selling its Powerall batteries and solar roof tiles at 800 Home Depot locations nationwide. The move is part of the firm's effort to attract mainstream consumers
The company is also in discussions with home improvement store Lowe's about selling the products there, according to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the situation. 
Home Depot used to have a partnership with Solar City, the alternative energy company acquired by Tesla in 2016 that has since been phased out. 
Now, Tesla will have displays that are 12 feet tall and 7 feet wide, promoting the products and, in some cases, demonstrating how they work. 
It's unclear whether Tesla will eventually add kiosks to all of Home Depot's 2,200 stores. 
Home Depot locations in Southern California already have the kiosks, while Las Vegas and Orlando stores are expected to open booths next week, according to USA Today. 
The move is likely part of Tesla's wider effort to attract mainstream consumers. 
Tesla's solar power system costs between $10,000 and $25,000, with batteries costing around $7,000. 
The glass tiles are designed to look like a traditional roof, with options that replicate slate 
The firm already showcases its solar panels at its 110 U.S. stores, USA Today noted. 
Tesla started taking $1,000 deposits for the roof tiles in May 2017. 
However, it's taken a while for the solar roof tiles to get off the ground, having only been installed on Tesla employees homes so far. 
Musk recently introduced the Powerwall 2, a home battery unit that stores 14 kWh with the aid of solar roof panels developed in conjunction with SolarCity. 
Musk said that the Powerwall 2 has enough power to charge lights, sockets and refrigerator for a standard 4 bedroom home for an entire day.
The Powerwall 2 is an improvement upon the original Powerwall, which has only about half of the storage capacity as the new generation of products.

HOW DO TESLA'S 'INVISIBLE' SOLAR TILES WORK?

Tesla's solar power system costs between $10,000 and $25,000, with batteries costing around $7,000.
The glass tiles are designed to look like a traditional roof, with options that replicate slate or terracotta tiles. 
They contain photovoltaic cells that Tesla says are invisible from the street.
The energy from the tiles can power a home when combined with Tesla's Powerwall energy storage unit. 
With an integrated Powerwall battery, energy collected during the day is stored and made available any time, which Tesla claims 'effectively turns your home into a personal utility.' 
The firm said it had tested the tiles against hail, with Musk claiming they can withstand 'softball sized' hailstones.



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