Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- 🏡 Marques Brownlee, a Tesla owner, installed a Tesla Solar Roof with three Powerwall batteries at his home.
- 💡 The Solar Roof tiles offer 29.313 kW of energy, and the Powerwall batteries provide 40.5 kWh of storage capacity.
- 💰 Despite the setup’s high cost of $120,948.04, federal tax credits reduced it to around $93,000.
- ☀️ The Solar Roof setup resulted in $0 power bills for the entire year, thanks to net metering credits that covered grid usage during winter.
- ⏰ Brownlee estimated a payback period of less than ten years for the Solar Roof system, which is designed to last longer.
- 🏞️ The Tesla Solar Roof remains a niche product due to its price and availability, but it’s considered a worthwhile investment for those who can afford it.
While Tesla’s Solar Roof has taken a backseat as the company focused on its electric vehicle division, some customers who have installed the product on their homes have been highly impressed with its performance.
YouTube reviewer Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) is one such customer who chose to install a Solar Roof with Powerwall setup for his home. Despite acknowledging that it may not be the most cost-effective option, Brownlee, being a Tesla owner, found it to be a logical choice.
The reviewer’s Solar Roof system is truly remarkable, providing an impressive 29.313 kW of power, complemented by three Powerwall batteries offering 40.5 kWh of energy storage. While the entire setup comes with a substantial price tag of $120,948.04, the federal tax credit brought the cost down to approximately $93,000, making it a more financially feasible choice.
Despite the Solar Roof’s high cost, Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) found it to be a valuable investment, resulting in $0 power bills for an entire year. The system’s net metering credits, accumulated during the months with better energy capture, adequately covered the home’s grid usage in colder months when the system’s efficiency was affected by winter conditions.
Based on the power consumption of Brownlee’s home throughout the year, he estimated a payback period of less than ten years, which is a favorable outcome considering the Solar Roof’s longevity, designed to last well beyond a decade.
While the Solar Roof remains a niche product due to its price and limited availability, those fortunate enough to install it in their homes have found it to be a worthwhile venture. As bleeding-edge technology, the Solar Roof continues to improve, making it even more promising for future adopters.
For those interested, Marques Brownlee’s one-year Tesla Solar Roof review can be watched below.
