Tesla promised the world a solar roof with a lifetime guarantee that will pay for itself in 30 years. It is a bit hard to believe, but it seems Elon Musk and his battalion are ready to deliver the first orders. However, Tesla is not the only company that can play that game. A new startup called Forward Labs announced that it has a cheaper solar roof, which generates almost twice the electricity, and installs in less than 72 hours.
Yesterday we looked closely at SolarGaps, a project to turn windows into solar panels using special blinds, and analyzed some of its weak points, including cost. Personally, I would love to use solar energy (at least a little), but its economic parameters are far above my possibilities, and the same happens to millions of people. Tesla's solar roof looks very attractive, although at the end of the day it is a 30-year bet that very few can take on. What we need is for prices to keep falling. All revolutions in different markets came through economical and competitive offers. So when a startup appears saying it has a cheaper and more efficient solar roof, the question is: What are you waiting for?
What Does Forward Labs Offer?
Forward Labs is based in Palo Alto and has already started accepting pre-orders to install its roofs, which at first glance look like they are made of metal. In reality, its design moves away from the shingle format used by Tesla and adopts a single surface made of tempered glass and solar cells. Forward Labs also applies the so-called "chromatic concealment", an additional layer between the glass and the panels that allows changing the roof's color with minimal impact on electricity production. And speaking of production, the company suggests about 19 watts per square foot, compared to 11 watts for Tesla's solar roof on the same surface. As if that weren't enough, Forward Labs' installed cost per watt would be 31.5 percent lower, on the order of $3.25 (Tesla is at $4.75). Guarantee? 40 years according to the official page.
To top it off, Forward Labs says installation should take no more than 72 hours. The roof is already available in the San Francisco Bay area, and the next step is expansion. Can this startup deliver? Tesla is not wasting time, and its financial backing is much more robust, but if it can put up a fight, welcome.
