Alan Stainer

Tech head through and through.

Elon Musk & SolarCity CTO Peter Rive Announce “Solar Roof”

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Elon Musk & SolarCity CTO Peter Rive Announce “Solar Roof”

I have spoken to a few people about solar roofs, but it has always been in the sense that it is something that should be done on a large scale, but isn’t being done.

Well it looks like that is going to change, which is a good thing.

http://cleantechnica.com/2016/08/12/elon-musk-solarcity-cto-peter-rive-announce-solar-roof-not-solar-roof/

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Comments

  1. Cherie Ambrose says

    I get real excited about new tech, but I have to settle down because none of this is going to be affordable by the Average American until either the costs go down, we stop Oil Control, or they fix America. All I do is feel anxious (I’m silly, I know) when I read about this cool stuff, and when I research the mess our food system is in this country. I want to eat better food and I want to use alternative energy. Both are a little too far out of my reach, and I’m not poor America.

  2. Jan-Erik Vinje says

    Cherie Ambrose but the costs have come down and are still falling. Solar is starting to outcompete fossile fules on cost cpmpetitiveness. Recently a huge utility scale solar electricity project in the middle east was sold for 3 cents/kwh wich is significantly below 6-7 cents for Natural gass.

  3. Cherie Ambrose says

    Jan-Erik Vinje I agree, it’s falling but I’m still waiting  =)  Plus, the government was stupid enough to print more money to bail the banks out in the US.  If they’d stop letting the banks and corporations rape the Average American, and maybe throw us a few green energy rebate bones, then maybe I can see the Average American able to more fully invest in  green tech.  Right now, no one I know of could invest in it and recoup *any* known value out of it to pay it off in a relatively decent amount of time (while also trying to save for their retirement).  I shall play the waiting game  =)   I have a feeling that the people who can actually get anything from it in the near future will be our children, and not us.   

  4. Alan Stainer says

    Cherie Ambrose​ we’re in the same boat in the UK and everywhere else. Prices are coming down, but it is still out of reach for most people. Governments could be doing a lot more to help.

  6. Jan-Erik Vinje says

    Cherie Ambrose simply printing more money shouldnt hinder anyone, but if all the newly printed money goes to the banks it becomes a hinder. If the government had control over the printing press they could give equal amounts to everyone, creating higher prices but also a more even distribution.

  7. Mac Baird says

    Cherie Ambrose

    It is getting easier to annuitize the green investment over time. In 2012, the MSRP of my Nissan Leaf was $34,500. A $7500 tax credit dropped my cost to $27,000. My employer gave me an additional $3,000 reimbursement for purchasing an EV, dropping my cost to $24,000. Since then, I have driven 51,000+ miles without the need for oil changes and gasoline. I get 5.2 miles/kWh (10 cents) and recover/save approximately $1,700/year relative to a 30 mpg car. After 4.5 years of driving, that’s another $7650 off the operating cost of my car, and I expect to keep saving about $1700/year for a very long time. By the way, the 2016 Nissan Leaf MSRP has dropped to $29,000. My next project is solar PV panels on my home. The question is whether I go with the upfront investment or annuitize the cost over several years with the Solar City plan.

  9. G K says

    Alan Stainer Cherie Ambrose Jan-Erik Vinje if the initial investment on setting up green tech for personal use is the concern. How about crowd funding. How is the crowd funding scene in USA.