Tesla Energy develops, builds, installs and sells solar energy generation systems, battery energy storage products, as well as other related products and services to residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Solar energy generation Solar panels Tesla Energy sells and installs traditional solar panels on existing roofs, which the company calls "retrofit solar systems" (as opposed to its Solar Roof Tiles). Unlike the company's other products, Tesla Energy does not build its own solar panels. , the company uses
private label Tesla-branded solar panels built under contract by
Qcells. Previously Tesla used panels from Panasonic as part of a larger partnership between the companies until
Panasonic exited the solar business in January 2021. As opposed to a lease, customers did not need to sign a long-term agreement and may ask Tesla to deactivate the system at anytime with no penalty; Tesla charges a flat fee to remove the system. Tesla uses proprietary mounting hardware on rooftops that eliminates the need for mounting rails and uses skirts that hide the hardware and make the panels appear to be flush with the roof. SolarCity acquired the mounting technology when it purchased
Zep Solar in 2013. The "railless" system allows installers to install solar panels on the roof more quickly than other installation approaches. Traditionally, solar panel installation requires workers to first outfit roofs with mounting rails and then attach solar panels to those rails.
Tesla Solar Roof Tesla Energy manufactures, installs and sells a solar shingle product it calls the Tesla Solar Roof. Solar shingles are small solar panel tiles that can make up an entire roof surface. The company claims that a Solar Roof costs less than installing a new roof with solar panels and that the tempered glass that the tiles are made of are more durable than standard roofing tiles. The product was first unveiled in August 2016, but Tesla was only able to start producing the Solar Roof in volume in March 2020. Other reports indicate that homeowners who sign up for the Solar Roof often get put on long waitlists.
Tesla Solar Inverter In January 2021, the company introduced its own solar
inverter. The company says the Tesla Solar Inverter builds on the technology it developed for the Powerwall and electric car inverters. Like the Powerwall and Tesla's cars, the solar inverter is capable of receiving over-the-air updates through built-in cellular connectivity. The product has been noted for using older
string inverter technology (many systems now use
micro-inverters), but that it has the potential to drive the cost of Tesla's solar systems even lower.
EnergySage, a solar buyers guide website, gave the Tesla Solar Inverter a rating of "very good", generally praising the device but noting that its efficiency ratings and 12.5-year warranty lag behind industry leaders. The most recent version of the inverter was introduced in May 2023 and comes in four sizes: 3.8 kW, 5 kW, 5.7 kW, and 7.6 kW of
AC power output. Each has four
maximum power point trackers and an efficiency of 98%. The prior version of the inverter came in two sizes: one with 3.8 kW of output, two maximum power point trackers and an efficiency of 97.5%, and the other with 7.6 kW of output, four maximum power point trackers and an efficiency of 98%. Tesla's Powerwall+, introduced in April 2021, includes an integrated Tesla Solar Inverter.
Battery energy storage Tesla Powerwall The Tesla Powerwall is a
rechargeable lithium-ion battery energy storage device intended to be used for
home energy storage. The current generation Powerwall 2 is capable of storing 13.5 kilowatt-hours for
solar self-consumption,
time of use load shifting, and
backup power. A Powerwall system can be composed of up to 10 Powerwalls, including a combination of Powerwall+ and traditional Powerwalls. In areas where building codes allow, up to three of these devices may be "stacked" front to back to take up less space. The Powerwall+ combines the functions of a Powerwall 2, the Tesla Solar Inverter and a Backup Gateway (a system controller and
transfer switch). The combination simplifies installation and allows for even greater power delivery during periods of full sun.
Tesla Megapack The Tesla Megapack is large-scale rechargeable lithium-ion battery energy storage devices intended for use by a business or an
electric utility company. The Megapack is capable of storing up to 3 megawatt-hours and is built as a
containerized product intended for use by utility companies, typically as part of a
battery storage power station, and can be used for renewable energy supply smoothing, voltage support, capacity support, microgrids,
frequency regulation, and
voltage control.
Tesla Powerpack (discontinued) The Tesla Powerpack was a large-scale rechargeable lithium-ion battery energy storage device intended for use by a business or on smaller projects from power utilities. The Powerpack is capable of storing 232 kilowatt-hours and is intended for use by businesses or for smaller utility company projects and can be used for
peak shaving,
load shifting, backup power,
demand response,
microgrids, renewable power integration, frequency regulation, and voltage control. The first prototype Powerpacks were installed in 2012 at the locations of a few industrial customers. After July 22, 2022, the product was no longer listed for sale.
Related services For large-scale customers, Tesla Energy operates an online platform which allows for automated, real-time power trading, demand forecasting and product control. In March 2021, the company said its online products were managing over 1.2 GWh of storage. For home customers, the company operates a virtual power company in Texas called Tesla Electric, which uses the company's online platforms to manage customers' Powerwall devices, discharging them into the grid to sell power when prices are high, earning money for customers. == Controversies and lawsuits ==