Increasing the Appeal of Solar Technology
In an effort to make solar technology more appealing to customers, some companies are trying to alter the physical appearance of solar panels. Tesla, for example, created the Tesla Solar Roof, which incorporates PV tech into roof shingles. The shingles are made out of quartz, a durable but translucent material, and solar cells are attached to the bottom of some of them. Because of quartz's high durability, the shingles can deal with intense weather like any other roof can, while their translucence allows light to pass through them and strike the solar cells on the bottom.
Despite its aesthetic appeal, the Tesla Solar Roof is not a perfect solution. Like most household solar energy setups, the Tesla Solar Roof can only provide sufficient energy for a house around 80% of the time.
Price-wise, the solar roof is more expensive to buy than a regular Tesla solar panel setup as well. In addition, only some of the roof’s shingles have solar cells attached, so the solar roof does not generate as much electricity as traditional solar panels do. With reduced electricity generation, the solar roof will save consumers less money in the long run than regular solar panels.
A Tesla Solar Roof.
The tradeoff of energy efficiency vs. aesthetics is an interesting one. Although the Tesla Solar Roof is yet to strike the perfect balance between the generation of abundant clean electricity and aesthetic appeal, it is definitely a step in the right direction. Personally, I'm excited to see what solar companies do to try and make aesthetically pleasing products more energetically viable in the future.
References
Sendy, Andrew. “Tesla Solar Roof Review: Is It Worth the Hype?” Solar Reviews, 18 Apr. 2021, www.solarreviews.com/blog/tesla-solar-roof-do-the-solar-shingles-match-the-hype.