Tesla completes first Solar Roof installations on employee homes, pilot production remains at Fremont

Tesla has announced that the first Solar Roof installations have been completed on the homes of select employee. These first customers of Tesla’s glass roof tiles have maintained a tight feedback loop with the product team, allowing the company to flush out final field testing of its energy generation and storage products.

“The first Solar Roof installations have been completed recently at the homes of our employees, who we chose to be our first customers to help perfect all aspects of Solar Roof customer experience. By pairing either Solar Roof or our existing retrofit solar panels with a Powerwall, our customers can enjoy sustainable energy independence.” said Tesla in its Second Quarter 2017 Update Letter published after Wednesday’s closing bell.

Tesla also noted that pilot production of the tempered glass Solar Roof tiles, which has been awarded ASTM International’s best Class F wind rating and certified by Underwriters Laboratories with its highest Class A fire rating, continues to take place from the Fremont facility. Production will begin at Tesla’s Gigafactory 2 plant in Buffalo, New York before the end of the year.

As Solar Roof installations continue to increase, so does Tesla’s hiring for skilled contractors.  Dozens of new jobs for skilled roofers, primarily in California, that must have “roofing experience; including metal, concrete tile, clay tile, comp, shingle, or wood shake”. Compared to traditional roofing, installing a rooftop comprised of thousands of individual solar tiles that must be installed with perfection and wired together puts a completely new spin on traditional roofing.

An in depth Tesla Solar Roof cost analysis by Consumer Reports recently revealed that the investment makes sense in many areas of the nation, however a traditional flat panel solar system may provide even bigger cost savings. To find out if solar makes sense in your area, consider getting a solar cost estimate.

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