In a major breakthrough witnessed across the solar energy sector, Tesla Incorporation has commenced the manufacturing of solar roof tiles from its Giga factory 2 establishment in New York City. Key officials of the firm have reported that the PV glass roof tile production commenced in December 2017 and first installations are projected to start in the next few months. Sources have cited that after a series of delays in the tile production, the firm has initiated the process of installation encompassing site surveys, design, and permission for regular customers to deploy solar roof tiles.
Reports have confirmed that by the end of 2017, Panasonic Corporation, which manufactures solar cells & modules for solar roof tiles of Tesla at Gigafactory 2 as per the agreement of 2016, increased hiring activities to improve the solar cell production for solar roof tiles. It has been learnt that Tesla has started manufacturing textured and smooth solar roof tiles at the Gigafactory 2 during the fourth quarter of the last year. Experts have stated that the two giant firms will increase the production at Gigafactory 2 and produce solar products having a capacity of nearly 1 to 2 Gigawatts.
As per experts, solar cells & modules will be used to manufacture solar panels for non-solar roof products. Tesla claims that it will also install the solar cells manufactured by Panasonic into its solar roof tiles. The President of the latter has claimed that the solar panel production had already started in October 2017.
Sources cite that the electronics firm headquartered in Japan, had made an initial investment of USD 260 million in the Tesla’s Buffalo establishment of the New York. At the location, Panasonic manufactures heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer solar cells for Tesla. It is also learnt that Tesla took orders for its first version of solar roof tiles in May 2017 for a deposit of USD 1000 and all the tiles were sold within first few days of 2018.
