SolarCity Solar Roof

[TonyStark]

Wow!

These solar panels are beautiful! I never thought the aesthetic look of solar panels would be a consumer problem, but after looking at these magnificent creations, I realized Elon created a solution for a problem I didn't even know existed; so cool!

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Watch the event here:

 

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[Bigguns50]

Amazing indeed. I watched this earlier. It's also amazing no one invented a solution sooner. I've always felt like, why not use the whole roof ? The thing sits atop a building staring at the sun !

Looking forward to his progress and update with this.

 

[TonyStark]

Amazing indeed. I watched this earlier. It's also amazing no one invented a solution sooner. I've always felt like, why not use the whole roof ? The thing sits atop a building staring at the sun !

Looking forward to his progress and update with this.

Yes, I agree. I think coal & gas companies have kept the status quo for a long time, and anyone that cut into their profits was muscled out.

I'm from Texas, where the sun is always shining. I think this would be a great solution for businesses, homes, etc.

 

[LightHouse]

They had them before but they were ugly and inefficient.

Solarcitys looks amazing, I read that they are working on better coatings to help the efficiency. The only thing I wonder about is cleaning. Normal panels have to be cleaned every so often. If your roof is slick tiles, I'm not sure how you'd clean that effectively.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

They had them before but they were ugly and inefficient.

Solarcitys looks amazing, I read that they are working on better coatings to help the efficiency. The only thing I wonder about is cleaning. Normal panels have to be cleaned every so often. If your roof is slick tiles, I'm not sure how you'd clean that effectively.

Suction cup boots.

Quick someone steal this!

 

[biophase]

Seems like another "why didn't I think of that product". I bet other solar companies thought about it and never gave it a shot because someone told them it was impossible or too expensive.

 

[B V Marlon]

It really is an awesome idea, especially if the lifetime costs are comparable with current roofing materials.

Bizarrely a couple of months ago I had the same thought - solar roofing tiles and was surprised to see that no-one was making them when I googled it. I really did think that someone somewhere would already have been doing it.

 

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[GuestUser450]

Crazy good.

I love these unpolished, engineer-awkward presentations, and I think a lot of others with 'glossy montage fatigue' do too.

He knows the gravity of what he's trying to do, the need for it to be consumer-propelled, and the story people have to believe to buy in.

Every time I start to think he's blowing smoke I'm reminded of how many different fields he's excelling at to bring these ideas to fruition.

 

[TonyStark]

Crazy good.

I love these unpolished, engineer-awkward presentations, and I think a lot of others with 'glossy montage fatigue' do too.

He knows the gravity of what he's trying to do, the need for it to be consumer-propelled, and the story people have to believe to buy in.

Every time I start to think he's blowing smoke I'm reminded of how many different fields he's excelling at to bring these ideas to fruition.

I agree! And people say, "he's a terrible public speaker." Like, who cares?!

 

[Yoda]

Since this is an entrepreneurial forum... why not spark ideas where this could be translocated?

1. Roof, hood, trunk of cars?
2. @SteveO Golf carts?
3. Street lights/lamps?
4. 'Cobblestone' streets/sidewalks?

The possibilities are likely endless for solar.

 

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[B V Marlon]

There's a German startup looking at Solar panel covered cars:
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/crowdfunded-electric-car-integrates-solar-panels-self-charging.html

They claim that these integrated panels give an extra 19 miles range, which can only increase as solar cells become more efficient. On that basis, the solar powered golf buggy seems pretty feasible, especially in sunnier locations.

Solar powered street lights are also now a reality - they can either be used as a standalone, or as part of a smart grid system:
http://www.scotialight.com/

If we can crack solar and/or fusion, we won't need oil to burn for energy. These solar roofs are a great idea - local generation and micro-grids are the most efficient way of generating and distributing power, as transmission losses in conventional grids are huge.