Sign in to follow this  
Followers 0
AV

Tesla’s Latest Production Troubles Are Happening At Its Solar Factory

Recommended Posts

Tesla has spent the last year battling issues with the company's Model 3 production lines, but beyond that limelight another production issue seems to be lurking.  Tesla's New York factory, which is run in partnership with Panasonic, is experiencing severe assembly line issues, especially impacting Tesla's ability to manufacture solar roof tiles.

Tesla has allegedly been using cells from JA Solar instead of cells from Panasonic, because the JA Solar cells have the preferred level of reflectivity. Panasonic, meanwhile, has been courting offers to sell its cells to other panel makers.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-solar-insight/inside-teslas-troubled-new-york-solar-factory-idUSKBN1KT0DU?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=twitter

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If I have the math right this factory is producing tiles equivalent to just 30 conventional panels, per day. This is a factory that Tesla claim to have poured $650m into, this year.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Production issues aside, I’m worried about that production price point....these things just aren’t cost effective

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites


As is, Panasonic is producing about 1,900 solar panels per day and about 2,000 solar cells per day, according to sources. That's an annual production rate of less than 0.25 gigawatts. Tesla has said the Buffalo factory will produce 1 gigawatt by 2019.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

2000 x 5.5 is akin to a 11KW typical solar PV install using 325W modules however the roof-space needed for 2000 individual shingles is much larger so that implies from 1 to 2 total roof product-sets per day. Doing the precision cutting of silicon wafers is hard, but this is slow. 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This chart shows how Tesla's solar business has changed quarter-to quarter, going back to the SolarCity days

DkF3xHDVAAEsV6j.jpg

 

 

 

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, please sign in.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Sign in to follow this  
Followers 0