A roof that creates energy
Solar integrated roof systems like what Tesla has built could reshape homes
“We have this handy fusion reactor in the sky called the sun, you don’t have to do anything, it just works. It shows up every day.” — Elon Musk, CEO Tesla
My experience with solar
While I was studying at UC-Berkeley I had the opportunity to install solar panels on a house in West Oakland with Grid Alternatives, a non-profit that brings clean energy to everyone. This experience helped me to fully understand the system design for a solar roof from the power inverter to convert from DC to AC to drilling holes in the roof to secure the panels.
Later that year I was an intern at the Dow Chemical Company and was exposed to a new product they were taking to market, PowerHouse Shingles. Instead of having to install the flashings and panels on top of the roof the solar cells were designed into the roofing material. Below is an image of one of the first houses with this product installed.
These two experiences opened my mind to a future where we can generate energy from every roof in an America by replacing old roofs with solar roofs. There is a…
