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Tesla Solar Sales Declined for 4 Qtrs. Then Tesla Stopped Publishing the Numbers

(cleantechnica.com)
171 points elsewhen | 2 comments | 09 Apr 25 12:41 UTC | HN request time: 0.404s | source
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boringg ◴[09 Apr 25 13:31 UTC] No.43631867[source]▶
Can I add that outside of the political commentary because thats mainly the only reason this is on hackernews.

There are mounting challenges in climate tech - specifically in residential solar: 1. Residential solar has been under punishing economic headwinds. Tariffs (before this) against imported PV. The market has not been performing. 2. Many of the Public Utilities are making it very difficult for solar to work out financially for home owners - see CPUC in California changing the terms of NEM to the advantage of the Utilities as an example. 3. Energy storage in residential markets has ALWAYS been an insurance product/backup power and not a financially beneficial product. It is tough competition against generators etc 4. Utilities are wisening up and increasing their fees and reducing the benefits of on site power generation. 5. Residential solar has likely already found all the best home owners (ie lowest CAC) so are now pursuing harder to reach.

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apexalpha ◴[09 Apr 25 15:27 UTC] No.43633214[source]▶
As a Dutch person I'm baffled that you're saying the PV industry has headwinds.

Recently added another 4000kWh of yearly production to my garage for €4000 all in because why not. I also have a 20 kWh LFP battery now, €7000 all-in (and dropping quickly!), which works out fine.

Many people now buy "plug-in" products: small batteries or single PV panel that you just plug into the grid directly, no installation required.

All the issues you list are governmental issues, not PV issues. The global PV indsutry is EXPLODING.

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1. Rebelgecko ◴[09 Apr 25 15:29 UTC] No.43633228[source]▶
I think the plugin prodicts are pretty cool, especially for renters, but my understanding they're not legal in the US
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2. apexalpha ◴[09 Apr 25 15:31 UTC] No.43633261[source]▶
That would, again, be a government problem not a PV one.

Also how would they even know. These things feed in 800 watts max, it's barely anything.

In my country we don't even have to get permission for big products. I have 9kW of PV on my roofs and just put it there, same with the battery. It's the grids companies' job to figure out how to make it work, not mine.