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

(cleantechnica.com)
171 points elsewhen | 1 comments | 09 Apr 25 12:41 UTC | HN request time: 0s | 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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pjc50 ◴[09 Apr 25 13:41 UTC] No.43631969[source]▶
Sadly, all those points but 5 are also political. The US isn't serious about it, for whatever (political/economic) reasons.

The UK, on the other hand: https://www.fmb.org.uk/homepicks/news/surge-in-solar-panel-i... ; helped by an efficiency mandate on new houses.

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huijzer ◴[09 Apr 25 14:10 UTC] No.43632344[source]▶
> The US isn't serious about it,

More than 40% of Texas's energy was carbon free already in 2022 [1], and they are still installing solar. Not on public lands, but most solar wasn't installed on public lands anyway.

Having said that, in the big picture the US is far behind China indeed regarding solar renewable installations. Compared to the EU, California is far behind and Texas is a bit behind. Germany for example sits at around 50% renewable [2].

[1]: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/blue-states-dont-build-red-sta...

[2]: https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/germany-sets-new-re...

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1. jsbisviewtiful ◴[09 Apr 25 21:27 UTC] No.43638197[source]▶
Throwing it out there that, as a US citizen who has been looking at and wanting solar for about 3-4 years now, it's extremely unaffordable through the installers I've looked at previously. Some installers have quoted a total of double the cost of materials because they maintain the labor of a 1 day installation is worth 100% the cost of batteries and panels - which often brings the total to $30k-$40k USD. Some of these agreements you also have to read closely because there are some total garbage ownership rights in the contract, saying you are renting the panels and don't own them. I haven't looked yet in my new state because interest rates stopped falling after Biden left office, but my previous state made the entire process a racket.