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No One Saw Tesla’s Solar Roof Coming

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Re: No One Saw Tesla’s Solar Roof Coming

#101

Post by [deleted] »

stcredzero wrote: post #53
sliverstorm wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't forget that rooftop solar panels reduce HVAC cooling needs in summer, and I would bet they also slash blackbody radiation, reducing the greenhouse problem. Absorbing the light ought to be as good as reflecting it. a 93-square-metre (1,000 sq ft) white roof will offset 10 tons of carbon dioxide over its 20-year lifetime. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflective_surfaces_(geoengine...

Except, unless you are powering a laser pointed offworld, most of that energy is going to end up in your local environment as heat. Or, you meant just your house's greenhouse problem? Running a heat pump or AC would do that.

[deleted]

Re: No One Saw Tesla’s Solar Roof Coming

#102

Post by vic-traill »

espadrine wrote: post #44
olivermarks wrote: post #3

'No one saw Tesla's solar roof coming...' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_shingle Solar shingles, also called photovoltaic shingles, are solar panels or solar modules designed to look like and function as conventional roofing materials, such as asphalt shingle or slate, while also producing electricity. Solar shingles are a type of solar energy solution known as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). There are…

Those shingles look awful, eg. http://roofpedia.com/solar-roof-shingles/#pictures . Are there existing solar shingles that look like conventional roofs? Otherwise, maybe that was what made those solar shingles fail to find a market.

I'm genuinely curious - what is it about the pictured solar shingles' look that you don't like?

To my view and taste, asphalt shingles are pretty ugly; the pictured solar shingles don't look particularly better but they don't look any worse.

Thoughts?

Re: No One Saw Tesla’s Solar Roof Coming

#103

Post by acchow »

GregBuchholz wrote: post #27

I'm curious if anyone has stats on what percentage of houses have an unobstructed southern roof (for those in the Northern hemisphere)? My house has seasonally adjusted nanotechnology self-replicating shade "panels" that block considerable sunlight in the spring and summer months (MTBF: 100+ years). The big downside is cleaning up the unused panels in the autumn.

This made me think of something William McDonough said.

"Imagine this design assignment: design something that makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, fixes nitrogen, distills water, accrues solar energy as fuel, makes complex sugars and food, creates microclimates, changes colors with the seasons, and self replicates.

Why don't we knock that down and write on it."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoRjz8iTVoo

Re: No One Saw Tesla’s Solar Roof Coming

#104

Post by Filligree »

robterrell wrote: post #77

Side topic, but I wonder if there's a pivot point coming where household appliances could be offered in DC versions. It would be great to avoid the inverter efficiency loss / point of failure. Could there be a standard DC interior wiring system with line voltage for the fridge / dishwasher / laundry machines and let's say LED lights, phone chargers, etc? The need for AC power is just an artifact of long transmission…

High-voltage DC is actually more efficient for long-distance transport, and makes it easier to interconnect grids. Efficiency is not why we use AC. Installation cost and history is, because you need converters everywhere you connect it to an AC grid.

Up until recently a lot of standard pieces of equipment weren't practical for HVDC lines. Electrical breakers, for instance: They existed, but tended to have short lifespans. That's because DC lines never go to zero power, whereas AC lines do so a hundred times per second.

Modern technology has changed that. The equipment is still more expensive, but that would be made up for by the reduced transmission losses... if we were starting from scratch. We're not.

Re: No One Saw Tesla’s Solar Roof Coming

#105

Post by tokipin »

bduerst wrote: post #86
wojcech wrote: post #38

I'm sure i'm not the only one who feels like this is possibly the iphone moment of Solarcity/Tesla: an old-ish idea, made sexy and tasty to consumers, together with technology reaching a tipping point(and also Musk again finding a way to maximally exploit government subsidies for clean tech.) The tesla car itself could count as well, but felt less "design driven" imo. If this fails, everyone will call it obviously du…

I'm not sure. Rumor mill has it that SC has been struggling, and the recent buyout from Tesla makes it look like Musk is transferring cash to himself. Musk talks alot , and I'm still on the fence as to whether this is vaporware meant to distract from that.

The timing may be calculated but that's about it. If a product isn't going to work out, that's one thing, but Musk doesn't waste time on vaporware. Notice that Tesla never put a silly will-never-be-an-actual-product car for display at auto shows.

Re: No One Saw Tesla’s Solar Roof Coming

#106

Post by hnnicker »

When adding traditional PV panels to my house a few years ago, I talked to the designer about PV shingles. He said the problem is that PVs are black and get hot in the sun. Traditional panels are raised a few inches above the roof with a gap that allows air flow (stack effect) to cool the panel. Also, the panel shades the roof, keeping the attic cooler (less A/C). With shingles, when they get hot, the attic gets hot (more A/C).

Re: No One Saw Tesla’s Solar Roof Coming

#108

Post by [deleted] »

robterrell wrote: post #77

Side topic, but I wonder if there's a pivot point coming where household appliances could be offered in DC versions. It would be great to avoid the inverter efficiency loss / point of failure. Could there be a standard DC interior wiring system with line voltage for the fridge / dishwasher / laundry machines and let's say LED lights, phone chargers, etc? The need for AC power is just an artifact of long transmission…

[deleted]

Re: No One Saw Tesla’s Solar Roof Coming

#109

Post by Mz »

jomamaxx wrote: post #100
Mz wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You look to have been downvoted probably one time. I suggest you delete this comment while you still can. The other comment has only been up for 15 minutes. There is still plenty of time for someone else to decide to upvote it for some reason.

Sorry, I should have added that Musk bit as an addendum to my first comment - and it's a reflection from previous experience, not from any activity on the comment I made on this thread. I could care less about my 'HN karma' -> it's meaningless to me. I made the comment purely in jest.

"Purely in jest" is probably not the right phrasing if it is based on long experience, thus a sincere prediction of the likely outcome.

I get what you are going for, but, my experiences suggest that if you want to take a position that opposes that of the majority view of the group in question, this sort of commentary is extremely counterproductive.

Not that you need to care. I am just someone who likes talking with people and you made the mistake of talking to me, so I am now talking to you. (shrugs)

Re: No One Saw Tesla’s Solar Roof Coming

#110

Post by KKKKkkkk1 »

aerovistae wrote: post #46
wojcech wrote: post #38

I'm sure i'm not the only one who feels like this is possibly the iphone moment of Solarcity/Tesla: an old-ish idea, made sexy and tasty to consumers, together with technology reaching a tipping point(and also Musk again finding a way to maximally exploit government subsidies for clean tech.) The tesla car itself could count as well, but felt less "design driven" imo. If this fails, everyone will call it obviously du…

Another side note: it always annoys me when people insinuate that Musk using government funds is a bad thing. The government is literally just US....it's our money and a collection of individuals from among us who we've appointed to handle the general administration of us and the space we take up. Why should American entrepreneurs, particularly ones doing such an outstanding job of moving technology in a positive dir…

Please do not use the word we in this context. Half of my colleagues are paying very hefty federal and state taxes but do not have the right to vote.
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