2017 Solar News: Part 2
Solar Roof Tiles: Detail of the Products—
A big revelation on solar roof shingles was in show last year (2016) in Universal Studios’ of “Wisteria Lane,” of LA, USA. Many houses in this area are already outfitted with TESLA’s solar roof shingles. A solar roof tile is made of a glass layer, some films and then solar cells. Sun shines on the tiles, through the glass and the films, and the underlying solar cell converts the light into electricity. According to Musk (TESLA CEO), solar roof tile uses a lot of techniques from the automotive glass business. Textured glass tiles are slightly unique-─ which is a byproduct of the production process, and are stronger than the materials they mimic in appearance. Though, TESLA did not specify pricing detail of this product yet.
Composition and How it Works: Material insights of roof tile and it’s work has been introduced in a flashy TESLA event recently. Based on the description this new solar film enabled solar tiles to roof efficiently converting sunlight into electricity and while appearing aesthetically different when viewed from the street. Additionally, the film maintains integrity of privacy (just like a computer screen blocking another person from the side to look at the screen).
Tesla has introduced four roof tile styles: Tuscan glass (terra cotta), smooth glass, slate (French) glass, and textured glass tiles. First, 3M Company made varieties of solar films that boosts efficiency, protects solar cells, or enabled panels to be flexible. TESLA then approached to 3M with the concept and 3M was able to collaborate with TESLA turning around the film quickly.
Tesla claimed to offer the Best Solar Cell at the lowest price- using Hydrographic coloring which is an inexpensive water based process of “printing” and the micro-louvers on the films would make the various roof tile colors possible. Micro-louvers when made in volume become very low cost, and as usual large volumes of glass are always cheap. Films can be applied on any types of substrates including plastic, fiberglass, wood, ceramics, and metal. For the most part, item is dipped in water and be painted using traditional techniques of the hydrographic printing process. Overall, steps of painting are- i) surface preparation, ii) priming, iii) painting, and iv) clear coating.
After painting but before clear coating, the part is ready to be processed. A polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrographic film is being gravure-printed with the graphic image to be transferred. The object is carefully placed on the water’s surface in the dipping tank. The clear film is water soluble, and dissolves after applying with an activator solution. Once dipping begun, the surface tension of water allows the pattern to curve around any shape. Any remaining residue is then rinsed off
Adhesion is a result of the chemical components of the activator softening the base coat (PVA here) layer and allowing the ink to form a bond with it. Poorly applied activator fails proper adhesion between layers.
These beautiful, affordable and seamlessly integrated-new roof tiles are slated for production from mid-2017 at TESLA’s merged company at Buffalo, NY. Panasonic partnered with Tesla to manufacture solar cells for its solar panels. Solar cells are the core parts of the solar panel that convert sunlight into electricity. Multiple solar cells arranged side by side to look like honeycombs on panel. In summary, Panasonic solar cells and modules with Tesla’s batteries for homes, buildings, and power grid are finely tuned products in this facility. First, TESLA’s automotive glass innovations were being used on Tesla’s Electric Car Model 3. We assume that Model 3 would use the swooping solar glass roof. CEO (Musk) suggested in his description that Synergy occurs when all the system in a plant integrated with each other.
ENTERTAINMENT: The video and the follow-up segments are quite exciting. I enjoyed all the incidents and I hope you will feel the same.
http://www.businessinsider.com/video-shows-us-presidents-height-order-obama-trump-lincoln-bush-2017-4
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