Professional Documents
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THE INNOVATION OF TESLASS
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Table of Contents
List of Illustrations ii
Abstract..ii
Introduction1
Purpose...1
Problem..1
Description.1
Benefits...2
Cost.2
Concerns.3
Survey
results..4
Conclusion/Summary.4
Glossary..5
AppendixA-1
Works citedA-3
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List of Illustrations
Figure Page
4. Example Survey...A-1
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Abstract
Engineering innovations are consistently advancing, which signifies that engineer companies are
always competing for the top results on their latest product. Solar panel companies are no
different. For instance, Tesla keeps their solar panels up to date by getting their customers and
employers opinions. Currently the solar panels out in the market today are unattractive and less
efficient with mediocre roofing. Several companies are still trying to fix improve solar panels by
making them look much better with more efficiency. However, Tesla has created solar roofing
shingles. This new solar roof is proposed to be much better in every aspect compared to the old
solar panels. This innovation is significantly more attractive and more efficient then current solar
panels.
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Figure 1. Home with Teslas Solar Roofing "Tesla Solar." Tesla, Inc. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr.
2017.
Introduction
Purpose On March 27, 2017 Jill Bremerton, Chief Executive Officer of Sunny Roofing Co,
asked us with developing a plan to determine the best course of action for integrating the new
solar roofing into the companys sales. This research is to help decided if the new roofing will be
cost effective for the company by examimining the cost of the roofing in conjunction with the
buyers interest.
Problem Current solar roof panels are not extremely efficient and are also not attractive. On
average, most solar panels only have about 15% efficiency rating (Aggarwal). There is desire
Description Teslas Solar Roofing panels are miniature solar panels designed to replace
shingles. These panels are designed to appear as normal shingles from street view and as solar
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panels from above. This design was created to provide nicer curbside appeal while still providing
Benefits
Teslas solar roofing benefits the user by having a nicer appearance along with providing higher
efficiency.(see figure 2) The companys design is intended to allow for long- term cost efficiency
included with energy efficiency. The average home uses 900 to 1000 kw per month. Currently,
there are no definite calculations as to how efficient the new solar shingles will be. The shingles
are made from strong tempered quartz glass that is created to withstand extreme weather
conditions. When paired with Teslas Powerwall (energy storage), the user has the potential to
power their home for basic use for an entire day. By basic usage, we mean a modern home with
use of everyday appliances, such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, televisions, lights, computers,
etc.
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Figure 2. Examples of Teslas Roofing Shingles Richardson, Luke. Tesla solar Roof 2017;
Cost
While actual cost has not been determined, as the new roofing is not set to be release until the
summer of 2017, it is estimated that the entire solar roofing will cost around $70,000
(DiClerico). Depending on the size of the home, this number may increase or decrease. It is
projected that the price will decline after the product is on the market for a few years.
Concerns
Concerns about the roofing are that the price is too high for the average home owner.
Considering that the average cost of roofing a home is between $4,000 and $10,000, Teslas
solar roof is projected to be much more expensive. Another concern is that the glass roof may not
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Conclusion
Teslas solar roofing is a great innovation that should be introduced to the companys sales.
While the cost of the roof appears to be steep, it is not too expensive when considering the cost
of a new standard roof with including additional solar panels. Customers may have a hard time
understanding the upfront cost of the roof, but once explained, the number included with the
improved appearance should make the cost more acceptable. Providing a significantly more
appealing roof and clean solar energy to power a home makes this product a strong contender
Figure 3 Tesla Glass Durability Test. Tesla roof tile Durability Test- video.DPCars. N.p.,n.d.
Survey Results
Our group conducted a survey asking questions concerning customers interests in solar
solutions, and whether they would be interested in Teslas roofing or not. Figures 4-9 are
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the survey and the results of the survey. Customers are interested in the new roof and
definitely prefer the appearance of the solar shingles. The only problem is that people do
not show interest in spending much more than $10,000 to $25,000 on solar roofing.
Glossary
Solar Panel: refers to a panel designed to absorb the sun's rays as a source of energy for
Energy: the capacity of a physical system to perform work. However, it's important to keep in
mind that just because energy exists, it doesn't mean it's necessarily available to do work.
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Works Cited
Aggarwal, Vikram. "2017 Most Efficient Solar Panels on the Market." EnergySage. Vikram
DiClerico, Daniel. "Here's How Much Tesla's New Solar Roof Could Cost." Consumer Reports.
"Learn How Much It Costs to Install a Roof." 2017 Roofing Cost Guide - How Much Does a
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Appendix
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Interested Knowledgable
120% 80%
100% 60%
80% 40%
60% 58%
100% 20%
25% 17%
40%
0%
20% Significant Some No Knowledge
0% 0%
0% Knowledge Knowledge
Yes No Own
Significant Knowledge Some Knowledge
Yes No Own No Knowledge
Figure 4 Figure 5
80% 60%
60% 40%
58%
40% 83% 20% 34%
0% 8%
20% 0%
17%
0% $10,000.00 $25,000.00 $50,000.00 $70,000.00
Roof 1 Roof 2
$10,000.00 $25,000.00
Roof 1 Roof 2 $50,000.00 $70,000.00
Figure 6 Figure 7
60%
40%
67%
20%
33%
0%
Yes No
Yes No
Figure 8
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