Anthony Salazar, Dustin Williams

Sandi Hubnik
ENG 2311
23 April 2018

TESLA SOLAR ROOF

TO INCREASE
PROFIT
 Table of Contents
List of Illustrations .........................................................................................................................iii
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................ iv
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... v
Purpose ........................................................................................................................................... v
Problem .......................................................................................................................................... v
Description ..................................................................................................................................... v
Installation.....................................................................................................................................vii
Potential Employees .................................................................................................................... vii
Marketing ......................................................................................................................................vii
Cost Analysis ................................................................................................................................ ix
Concern ......................................................................................................................................... ix
Conclusion/Summary .................................................................................................................... x
Glossary ......................................................................................................................................... x
Works Cited .................................................................................................................................. xi

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 List of Illustrations
Figure Page

1. Tile Varieties……………….………………………………………………..…...2

2. Installation process………………….……………………………………...……3

3. Occupations in solar roof installation and

maintenance……….………………………………………………………...……..4

4. This map displays the wealth distribution in the areas around Raise the Roof

HQ………...……………………………………………………………………….5

5. Tesla glass tile durability compared to other shingles………………………….5

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 Abstract
In recent years the growth in competition has struck Raise The Roof Co. Competitors have

included solar panel installation services combined with roof installation which is drawing in

customers. Consumers in the area, and California as a whole, are pushing towards alternate

renewable energy sources. This push is causing a demand for solar energy. Raise The Roof Co.

needs to meet this demand in order to stay competitive. The company Tesla has recently came

out with Tesla Solar Roofs, an innovation in photovoltaic technology. The Tesla Solar Roof is

composed of glass tiles with photovoltaic cells inside that generate electricity from sunlight.

With the implementation of Tesla Solar Roof to our selection of roofing shingles Raise The Roof

Co. will stay competitive as well as unique from other roofing companies. To add, the

incorporation of Tesla Solar Roof will satisfy the demand for solar energy and give customers an

innovative option for roofing and clean energy.

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 Introduction
Purpose
The reason that Raise the Roof Co. is in need of installing Tesla Solar Roofs is because of the
rise of competition with the company throughout Los Angeles County, resulting in a deficiency
in profit. The services that Raise the Roof Co. provides will not provide enough profit to
compete with other roofing companies, as these companies have developed better marketing
tactics. As a result, competitors have gained brand recognition of customers in the area, causing
our clientele to pick our company as a second choice. Introducing solar roofs into our product
line and services would influence our brand recognition in a major way, as we would be the first
to offer such a unique and utilitarian product.

Problem
In recent years, Raise the Roof Co. has faced increasing competition throughout the valley.
Revenue reports state that Raise the Roof Co. has acquired net profits of $12,304,908 in 2015,
$12,000,000 in 2016, and $10,066,877 in 2017. Research analysts have confirmed that this is
likely due to increased competition with both Casa del Sol Roofing and Haus der Sonne Roofing,
who have made profits by including solar panel installations as a package deal with their
customers. As a result of the decline in profits, Raise the Roof Co. has decided to lay off 10% of
employees in 2017 alone. For the company to change this trend, it is necessary to make changes
in order to stay ahead of competition.
As photovoltaics becomes an increasingly large field of research with many applications, it is
projected that the average solar panel will become cheaper and more available for residential use.
Though research suggests that such technologies already exist, they are not widely used and still
in development. If Raise the Roof Co. were to offer installation of these technologies to
customers, it would provide a significant increase in profits, as well as have an advantage over
competition by using more current solar technology.

Description
Tesla Solar Roofs come in four different varieties of tiles. These tiles can be chosen based on the
style of the building or customer’s preference. All tiles have solar cells embedded within them
that are visibly transparent through the tile when viewed from above, and opaque when viewed

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from any other angle. This effect is due to micro louver film that is placed on the top surface of
each tile. Listed below are the four types of tiles and the physical qualities of each.
● Textured:​ This design has a rough, wood-grained appearance that is created by molding
the glass.
● Smooth:​ This design has a sleek, black appearance and has no other modifications added.
● Tuscan:​ These tiles take the shape and appearance of a normal tuscan roof tile, but are
made of glass. The flat portion of the tile contains the solar cells, and the mounded
portion of the tile is meant to be overlapped with the others. Micro louver film that is then
placed directly on each panel is colored to mimic the color of ceramic. The rest of the tile
is placed in a hydrographic bath containing prin that matches the color of the micro
louver film.
● Slate:​ The shape of this design is created in the
same way that the textured tile is made, though it
has a different mold that has the appearance of
natural slate rock. The coloring process also
follows the same steps as the tuscan tiles, but with
a non-uniform, more natural appearance.
(Musk, 2016)
​Figure 1: Tile Varieties…
https://www.tesla.com/solarroof

These solar tiles all work the same way as traditional solar panels, which convert solar energy to
electrical energy. This is done by having two different crystalline silicon layer resting between
two conductive layers in each photovoltaic cell. At an atomic level, the silicon atoms are held
together by two strong electron bonds, forming a complex of square-like bonds that prohibit the
movement of electrons. The top layer of silicon is known as the “N-type”, which has extra
electrons. Resting below it is the “P-type” layer of silicon, which has extra spaces for electrons.
The space between two layers is known as the “P/N junction” that leaves a positive charge on the
P side and a negative charge on the N side. Electrons can move freely across the P/N junction.
When photons from the sun are powerful enough to knock an electron out of place from the
N-side, the missing space is moved to the P-side. The electrons that are knocked out of place
flow upward and into a small, hollow rod that move on to the power source or battery. Any
energy not used is then transferred back to the P-side. (TEDEducation, 2016)

In order for the maximum amount of power to be utilized, an optional Tesla Powerwall Battery
can be installed to store the energy. (Musk, 2016)

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 Installation Process
Below are the following steps in the installation process:
● Prepare semiconductor multilayer structure
● Metallization
● Divide the semiconductor multilayer structure into smaller strips
● Apply Conductive paste
● Place strips on wafer carrier
● Place the wafer carrier under the
heating element
● Interconnect the strings to obtain
a panel

Figure 2: Installation of glass https://electrek.co/2018/04/02

/tesla-solar-roof-customer-installation-working/
(Sung, 2017)

Potential Employees
In order to properly install solar roofs, Raise the Roof Co. needs to consider hiring additional
employees. Site assessors, electricians, and plumbers are workers involved when installing solar
roofs. “​Plumbers and electricians working on solar installation projects must also have
specialized training on the systems that they will be installing, or they must work under the
supervision of a qualified solar photovoltaic installer”(bls, 2012).​ Training employees with an
entirely new skill set will take up to six months. This will be done through training programs
offered by Tesla.
Site assessors​- Determine the layout of solar shingles to harvest the most sunlight. “​Assessors
may take readings of sunlight at a proposed location, review weather patterns, and calculate
potential costs and savings”(bls, 2012).
Electricians
Install and maintain electrical and power systems to a home.
Plumbers
Connect water heater system.

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Figure 3 : ​Occupations in solar roof installation and maintenance
https://www.bls.gov/green/solar_power/#photovol

Marketing
After employees have finished training and materials have been received, we will advertise our
new service to residents of Rolling Hills and surrounding neighborhoods. Because this area is in
close proximity to our HQ in Torrance, many residents have received our service in the past and
can trust the company to install Tesla Roofs. Additionally, the area is of the wealthiest
neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, making a median income of $220,764 for Rolling Hills,
and $151,208 for Rolling Hills Estates. Of these potential clients, we will offer reservations for
up to 10 houses as our first trial. It is after installing all 10 roofs that we will wait a period of two
months to compile reviews from the clients. During this period of time, normal roofing
operations will continue.

If reviews are mostly positive and the product works as expected, we will begin to provide
services to more clients in the Rolling Hills/Rolling Hills Estates area, as well as expand into the
neighboring Rancho Palos Verdes/Palos Verdes neighborhoods.

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Figure 4: This map displays the wealth distribution in the areas around Raise the Roof
HQ...http://www.city-data.com/income/income-Los-Angeles-California.html
Benefits
Tesla advertises many benefits for their Solar Roofs. According to the Tesla website, their solar
roof can supply electricity to a house for “Off-Grid Reliability” with the help of the Powerwall
home battery, which will supply electricity to “keep your home running during a grid
outage”(Tesla, 2018). Moreover, homeowner who choose to install Tesla Solar Roof can have a
return investment within 30 years of purchase (Tesla, 2018). Below are more facts about Tesla
Solar Roofs that may be appealing to potential customers.
● Aesthetic-​ From the street view Tesla solar shingles look like regular roofing shingles.
Customers can enjoy the benefits of solar power without the bulky eyesore on their roof.
● Tax break- ​Customers may be eligible for a 30% tax break. “The 30% Solar Investment
Tax Credit applies to the cost of the solar tiles and associated solar energy equipment as
well as the cost of the Powerwall batteries”(Tesla, 2018).
● Infinite tile warranty/ Durable-
Tesla solar shingles are
extremely durable, they hold
the best hail, wind and fire
rating. Tesla also offers a
infinite warranty for the tiles.

Figure 5: Tesla glass tile durability compared to other shingles

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 www.tesla.com/blog/solar-roof.

● Environmental benefits- ​Solar energy reduces the production of pollutants and carbon
emissions in the atmosphere. In turn, this will reduce the effects of environmental
changes such as global warming and reduce health problems caused by air pollution
(Energy, 2018).

Cost Analysis
The costs considered per roofing job focus on labor time and cost of materials. Costs of materials
are derived from Tesla’s solar calculator (Tesla, Inc) and cost of labor is derived from Figure 3
Occupations in solar roof installation and maintenance (bls, 2012).
.
● Materials
○ Tiles: $400-$500 / ft.^2
○ Powerwall Battery: $7,400

● Cost of Labor
○ Electricians: $15.75 per day
○ Plumbers, pipers, and steamfitters: $17.31 per hour
○ Roofers: $10.37 per hour

Concerns
Although Tesla roofs have a number of benefits, there are a few concerns that need to be
assessed. Tesla solar roofs are expensive and many average homeowners will choose the cheaper
option when picking a roofing shingle. However, when selling Tesla solar roofs we intend to
target wealthier clientele. Another downside to the Tesla roof is many homeowners would not
own a home for over 30 years to be able to see the return investment. This may discourage
homeowners from making the investment.

Conclusion
Raise the Roof Co. has made a name for itself in Los Angeles County and has worked hard to
hold that place. Although we are still higher in the ranks than most roofing companies
throughout the county, it is important that we examine the reality of what is to come if the trend
of declining profits continues. By installing Tesla Solar Roof products while still focusing on

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instillation of normal roofs, we will experience a higher demand from customers that wish to be
part of the future that is solar power. In the future, we wish to have wide company recognition in
Southern California and increased profits of the likes that have never been seen by the company.

Glossary
Carbon Emissions- Produced during combustion of carbon and is considered a greenhouse gas

Photovoltaic- Electric current produced from solar energy

Pollutants- Chemical or waste product in air, water or soil

Renewable Energy- Energy that does not deplete

Roofing Shingle- Building material for roofs

Solar Cells- Device that converts solar radiation into electricity

Solar Panel- Panel to absorb sunlight and produce electricity

Works Cited

“Comparing a Traditional Roof to a Tesla Solar Roof: Costs, Pros, & Cons.” ​Tidewater

Roofing Comparing a Traditional Roof to a Tesla Solar Roof Costs Pros Cons Comments​,

tidewaterroofing.com/comparing-a-traditional-roof-to-a-tesla-solar-roof-costs-pros-cons/.

“Growth of Solar Power in the United States.” ​U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics​, U.S. Bureau of

Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov/green/solar_power/.

Hope, Paul. “Doing the Math on Tesla's Solar Roof (Again).” ​Consumer Reports​,

www.consumerreports.org/solar-panels/doing-the-math-on-teslas-solar-roof/.

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Lambert, Fred, et al. “First Tesla Solar Roof Customer Installation Is Now up and Running –

Feeding the Grid and Powerwall.” ​Electrek​, 2 Apr. 2018,

electrek.co/2018/04/02/tesla-solar-roof-customer-installation-working/.

Musk, Elon. “Elon Musk Unveils New ‘Solar Roof.’” ​YouTube​, YouTube, 29 Oct. 2016,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qidyczsFyvA.

“Solar Roof.” ​Tesla, Inc​, 22 May 2017, www.tesla.com/blog/solar-roof.

Sung, Edward, and James Zu-Yi Liu. United States Patent. Tesla Inc, assignee. Patent

US009748434B1. 29 Aug. 2017. Print.

TEDEducation. “How Do Solar Panels Work? - Richard Komp.” ​YouTube​, YouTube, 5 Jan.

2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKxrkht7CpY.

“Tesla Solar Panels.” ​Hit Counter Script​, dailylamrim.com/tesla-solar-panels.html.

“The Environmental and Public Health Benefits of Achieving High Penetration of Solar Energy

in the United States.” ​Department of Energy​,

www.energy.gov/eere/solar/downloads/environmental-and-public-health-benefits-achievin

g-high-penetration-solar

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