Bryan Smith·
ScienceTech newsTechnology

Tesla's new solar roof panels threaten to make solar power mainstream

Elon Musk has revealed Tesla’s new solar roof panels, which would integrate with a normal home to offer a clean, mainstream source of power.

At some point you’ve likely gazed up towards the sun and wondered why – particularly in South Africa – we don’t make greater use of abundant sunshine. Elon Musk has clearly wondered the same thing; and now the business mogul has unveiled new solar roof panels, which threaten to make solar power as mainstream as it gets.
Rather than serve as a dedicated solar panel on top of a house, Tesla’s new panels – which are produced in conjunction with Musk’s other company, Solar City – take the form of actual roof tiles that look remarkably similar to other roofing slats you might have seen before on a variety of homes around the world. Citing the concept of a snowflake, Musk cited that each of Tesla’s solar roof panels are individually unique; much like the slats on an everyday house.
Read: Orison is a new Tesla Powerwall challenger
That means that should one choose to equip their home with Tesla’s miniature panels, the feel will result in a far more organic look that’s comparable to everyday homes around the world rather than something that’s decidedly space-age.

One might worry that – thanks to their nature – solar roof panels might be somewhat more prone to damage; particularly in temperamental environments. However, that’s not the case, as Tesla revealed a product video detailing just how resilient its latest product is.


With luck, Musk’s new solar roof tiles will be the deciding factor that makes solar energy a true, mainstream option for modern homes. We can only hope that the product line will join Tesla’s Powerwall system in heading to South Africa.
Read: Elon Musk unveils the Interplanetary Transport System that‘ll get us to Mars
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