How Solar Roof Works

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When sunlight hits the photovoltaic (PV) tiles in your Solar Roof, it is absorbed by solar cells, creating a flow of electric current. This direct current (DC) energy is then sent to your solar inverter, which converts it to the alternating current (AC) energy that can power your home.

An End-to-End Solar System

Solar Roof is comprised of various components, like PV tiles and non-PV tiles, metal flashings that enhance the aesthetic of your roof and solar inverters. Together, these components capture sunlight to produce DC electricity and convert it to AC electricity that can be used to power your appliances. Learn more about what Tesla installs at your home.

Excess Power

When your system produces excess power that isn’t used by your home, this power is either stored in your Powerwall or sent to your utility. You can use the energy stored in your Powerwall to charge your electric vehicle, continue to run your home with your solar power at night or keep it stored to maximize your home’s available energy in the event of an outage.

In some cases, your utility will credit you for energy sent to the power grid, which you can apply towards your future utility bills. This billing mechanism is called net energy metering (NEM). Contact your utility to learn about NEM and whether it is available in your region.