Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Solar Roof

tesla.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

261–270 of 455 posts

Re: Solar Roof

#261

Post by aaron-lebo »

awkwardtortoise wrote: post #258
stratigos wrote: post #217

People are thinking way too much about how much this saves them at a personal level. I think people should instead be thinking about how we can save the existence of the entire species, and all other higher order forms of life on earth, rather than focusing on their individual tax breaks, savings, or other trivial concerns. Yes, your cash flow is rendered quite trivial if life on Earth ends. Invest in the Life Econom…

Tesla roof isn't going to save the species and life isn't going to end. I expect this type of comment on reddit, not on hacker news. > Invest in the Life Economy, and turn your back on the Death Economy. Are you serious? This doesn't pass the smell test. This sounds like something from a PR firm hired by Tesla to "evangelize" on social media.

Why are you trying to get in the way of the Life Economy?

You need some Dayman:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4DNXBkfksI

Re: Solar Roof

#262

Post by rhino369 »

stratigos wrote: post #217

People are thinking way too much about how much this saves them at a personal level. I think people should instead be thinking about how we can save the existence of the entire species, and all other higher order forms of life on earth, rather than focusing on their individual tax breaks, savings, or other trivial concerns. Yes, your cash flow is rendered quite trivial if life on Earth ends. Invest in the Life Econom…

Even if you want to calculate this on ecological cost basis rather than economic, you could better spend that money to achieve a larger impact.

Re: Solar Roof

#263

Post by jaggederest »

nsxwolf wrote: post #25

Oh wow. So that's disappointing. I was under the impression it was about the same cost as a new roof. I guess its starting at that cost, if you want just a tiny little bit of electricity.

It's a similar price to the high end existing roofing materials that you might find.

Certainly it's not going to be price compatible with asphalt shingles, but terra cotta or slate is often 2-4x as expensive as those, and lasts much longer.

Re: Solar Roof

#264

Post by mathgeek »

Thrymr wrote: post #211
guiomie wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldnt increasing the tag price of your home by 15k to absorb the loss when you sell compensate? Also, in 30 years, 15k will be worth less than 15k today.

That only works if it is worth $15k to the buyer.

Plus you have to be in the market to sell in the next few years (plus accounting for depreciation and the like... roofs only last so long).

Re: Solar Roof

#265

Post by awkwardtortoise »

blakesterz wrote: post #2

Yikes. I just signed a contract for a new roof here last month, it's going to cost about $12k. Just did the estimate for the Tesla Solar roof... $80,300, so $87k if I want the battery too. I can barely afford the $12 right now, the $80 is just so far over it's not even close, even with how much I save over the years in electricity. That being said, I love these things, so hoping it gets cheaper in the coming years.

It's all flash and no substance. Elon Musk is a great salesman and marketer. I'll give him that. But just like their cars, this roof is for the wealthy people who want to look cool and earn some liberal points. It makes no financial sense for the vast majority of people.

> That being said, I love these things, so hoping it gets cheaper in the coming years.

Yep. Perhaps in the future.

Re: Solar Roof

#266

Post by tclancy »

chii wrote: post #51
atourgates wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't really see the selling point, or value here. Tesla's calculator estimates $40,500 for a roof that generates half our power needs, and should provide $20,400 worth of energy over 30-years. Add in a PowerWall and federal tax credit, and I'm still losing $15,400 over 30-years. If I put that same $40,000 in an index fund that got the stock market's historical 7% average, and waited 30 years, I'd have $308,000. To…

> put that same $40,000 in an index fund that got the stock market's historical 7% average, and waited 30 years, I'd have $308,000. stock market isn't a very safe investment (that is, risk is much higher than putting in a bank), you can't make a comparison against buying some equipment, which is zero risk. A closer comparison is putting the $40,000 in a bank that guarentees interest (or treasury bonds, which is also…

I live on top of a hill where we routinely get 50mph+ winds. Explain to me how roofing tiles carry zero risk.

Re: Solar Roof

#267

Post by halcyondaze »

stratigos wrote: post #217

People are thinking way too much about how much this saves them at a personal level. I think people should instead be thinking about how we can save the existence of the entire species, and all other higher order forms of life on earth, rather than focusing on their individual tax breaks, savings, or other trivial concerns. Yes, your cash flow is rendered quite trivial if life on Earth ends. Invest in the Life Econom…

This is a case of should be this way, but never will be. People have and always will respond to personal incentives, which is why framing this way is doing well.

If people are incentivized to get solar roofs for personal benefits and it happens to also help the "Life Economy," this is good. Especially because more people will get them when they're framed in terms of what an individual gains from installing it, not what Humanity gains.

Re: Solar Roof

#268

Post by steego »

RodericDay wrote: post #221
stratigos wrote: post #217

People are thinking way too much about how much this saves them at a personal level. I think people should instead be thinking about how we can save the existence of the entire species, and all other higher order forms of life on earth, rather than focusing on their individual tax breaks, savings, or other trivial concerns. Yes, your cash flow is rendered quite trivial if life on Earth ends. Invest in the Life Econom…

People serious about saving the planet aren't putting solar shingles on their mansions. They're downsizing.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I'll throw out this perspective:

If you want to invent tomorrow's computer today, you can do it by spending a lot of money per unit. That was thinking at Xerox Parc and at SRI before it.

Tying it together, often the only people who can afford and bootstrap early prototypes are wealthy people. Elon has tapped into this strategy by making the early prototypes of his cars and shingles sexy so wealthy people can signal to other wealthy people that they are high-minded and forward thinking people.

Good.

If we can use that to bootstrap the production of cheaper shingle/panels for billions of people in the long run, we're better off in the long run.

Nevertheless, I agree with your fundamental premise that downsizing, possession sharing and clever recycling is the best solution for most people. Personally speaking, I'd much rather live a life where I share my personal possessions and consume as little as possible. Call me a hippy, but I could care less for owning most shit. It doesn't make me happy for the most part.

I'd also love to see us get away from heating/cooling buildings and research heating/cooling bodies with interesting clothing. Again, I think targeting high-minded/forward-thinking wealthy people is a good strategy for cultivating an important industries and products like this.

Re: Solar Roof

#269

Post by [deleted] »

brandon272 wrote: post #250
robbrown451 wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah good luck with that plan. ("Honey, if we get a solar roof it will help the planet, but we'll have to put junior in the cheaper preschool to pay for it. Whatya think?")

It's unfortunate that people can't see that junior dealing with the effects of climate change in 30, 40, 50 years could be a lot more devastating to his life than the prestige level of his preschool.

[deleted]

Re: Solar Roof

#270

Post by mathgeek »

ricardobeat wrote: post #66
blakesterz wrote: post #2

Yikes. I just signed a contract for a new roof here last month, it's going to cost about $12k. Just did the estimate for the Tesla Solar roof... $80,300, so $87k if I want the battery too. I can barely afford the $12 right now, the $80 is just so far over it's not even close, even with how much I save over the years in electricity. That being said, I love these things, so hoping it gets cheaper in the coming years.

How on earth did you hit 80k? Using the calculator, the roof for a two-story 3000sqft home comes down to $50-60k, with a net gain of $5k. If your house is any larger than that, $80k is pocket change.

I own a two-story, 3000 sq.ft. house, budgeted to the usual percentage of total income. I assure you that $80k is not pocket change (because I didn't pay the down payment with pocket change, and even that wasn't $80k).
Post reply on HN