I think it was a genuine attempt but they failed to find a simple enough solution.

wat10000 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I’d say they failed to make it cheap enough, although maybe that goes with “simple.” I needed a roof replacement around the time when this looked like a viable option, but there’s no way I was going to pay a substantial multiple over the price of a normal roof plus solar panels for their snazzy integrated roof.

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moffkalast 16 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Invisible solar is a genuine use case in areas with shitty power tripping HOAs, but even regular solar takes a decade to break even, so if you sell something like that at inflated Tesla level prices then they simply never will and there is no reason to buy them in the first place.

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cianmm 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

My solar install took about 4.5 years to break even, which I understand is maybe a bit below average for where I live (Ireland).

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rgblambda 4 hours ago | parent [-]

Although isn't there an Irish government grant to help cover the cost of the panel + installation? That would make comparing break even times across countries quite difficult.

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hdgvhicv 3 hours ago | parent [-]

Certainly isn’t today. In the U.K. solar panels have about a 14 month payback, no incentives other Thant hey are currently tax free (like food. Electric from the grid has a 5% tax)

On top of that there’s an inverter, and if you can’t use all the power immediately you’d need a battery too, which tends to increase the cost.

The biggest cost though is installation.

	▲	rgblambda 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I imagine the costs of purchasing and installing the panels in the UK are similar, but in Ireland there's definitely grants: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/housing-grants... You do make a good point about VAT on electricity bills also being a factor in the break even calculation. In Ireland it's 9% and that's a temporary cost of living measure and will revert to 13.5% in 2030.

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hvb2 12 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

That's where regulation comes in. California for example made it almost impossible for a HOA to block. You're not allowed to add more than $1K to the project with your 'requirements'

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peterisza 15 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

What is a HOAs?

	▲	gabrielsroka 15 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Homeowners' associations https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeowner_association

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HerbManic 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

It think they under estimate the 'Green bling' factor. For many people if they are going to get solar, they want the neighbours to know. Got to get that virtue signalling in.

Not saying it is a huge factor but it is there.