Tesla CEO Elon Musk set out to create a roof product that would be cheaper than a standard roof, provide useable electricity, and be aesthetically appealing when he announced his new solar roof products during a highly-anticipated media event last fall. Musk also wanted to integrate his company’s battery storage products (known as a “Powerwall”) and electric vehicles with solar roofs. The solar roof panels will generate solar energy, which will be stored in the batteries to provide electricity to both the home and vehicles.
The new solar roof products are made from textured glass with integrated solar cells. Photos and videos displayed during the press event show the solar roof panels being virtually indistinguishable from standard roof panels. Through a process called hydrographic printing, each roof tile is unique, which results in no two roofs being the same. From the street, the tiles will appear opaque (as though they’re a traditional shingle roof), but from the vantage point of the sun the tiles will be transparent — allowing sunlight to penetrate through to the solar cell. The opaque/transparent appearances are a result of mutual development with 3M.