Tesla Suspended the Installation of Solar Panels
Tesla suspended the installation of solar panels on customers' roofs due to global supply chain issues, leaving many customers who have already removed existing roofs to wait for months. Globally supply chain issues are affecting virtually every industry. Tesla's auto business has also been affected by supply chain issues, but it is much better than its peers, and Tesla managed to double its vehicle production last year.
Tesla's solar panel business also grew last year, but it began to be affected by supply chain issues, which were reported at the end of last year. Tesla is starting to delay the installation of some solar panel projects on the roof.
At the time, Tesla's progress in installing solar panels wasn't much affected, but that changed in February. Tesla became concerned about the supply of solar panels. Tesla notified customers who were about to install solar panels that there may be delays in the project. Now that a month has passed, Tesla has effectively suspended the installation of solar panels on rooftops for customers. Internal communications from Tesla's solar business scheduling team show that at this time the team would not commit to customers to completing the installation. This has put some clients who have already removed the original roof in an awkward position.
This is the case with Ryan Prijic, a client who lives in Los Angeles. The Tesla solar team started construction in January this year, removing the original roof and waterproofing it. At the time, Tesla told Prijic that the solar panels would be installed in about eight weeks. The builders said the exposed waterproof layer would last for six months, so there would be no problems with the project. It's March, and it's been more than eight weeks since the roof was removed. Prijic still sees no sign of installing solar panels. Prigitch became concerned about the waterproofing of the roof.
Prijic went to great lengths to contact a sales consultant, but was told that the installation was temporarily unavailable due to a shortage of solar panels. The sales consultant also said that it may not be installed until the end of this year, which was long past the waterproofing period of the roof. In fact, the roof of Prijic's house had leaked twice, and Tesla had to come and fix it. A construction worker who came to fix the leak told Prijic that a large number of solar panels were stuck in the Port of Los Angeles, but it could not be confirmed. If ongoing operations like Prijic's are suspended for a few months, it is conceivable that other planned solar panel projects will experience significant delays.
Prijic isn't the only one facing the situation. Many buyers planning to install Tesla's solar panels said their construction was delayed and there was little communication. Tesla makes solar panels at its Gigafactory in New York. The company's goal is to produce enough solar panels to cover 1,000 residential roofs a week, but for now, the current output appears to be far from that goal; the whole industry is struggling to make solar panels.
Tesla's solar panel business also grew last year, but it began to be affected by supply chain issues, which were reported at the end of last year. Tesla is starting to delay the installation of some solar panel projects on the roof.
At the time, Tesla's progress in installing solar panels wasn't much affected, but that changed in February. Tesla became concerned about the supply of solar panels. Tesla notified customers who were about to install solar panels that there may be delays in the project. Now that a month has passed, Tesla has effectively suspended the installation of solar panels on rooftops for customers. Internal communications from Tesla's solar business scheduling team show that at this time the team would not commit to customers to completing the installation. This has put some clients who have already removed the original roof in an awkward position.
This is the case with Ryan Prijic, a client who lives in Los Angeles. The Tesla solar team started construction in January this year, removing the original roof and waterproofing it. At the time, Tesla told Prijic that the solar panels would be installed in about eight weeks. The builders said the exposed waterproof layer would last for six months, so there would be no problems with the project. It's March, and it's been more than eight weeks since the roof was removed. Prijic still sees no sign of installing solar panels. Prigitch became concerned about the waterproofing of the roof.
Prijic went to great lengths to contact a sales consultant, but was told that the installation was temporarily unavailable due to a shortage of solar panels. The sales consultant also said that it may not be installed until the end of this year, which was long past the waterproofing period of the roof. In fact, the roof of Prijic's house had leaked twice, and Tesla had to come and fix it. A construction worker who came to fix the leak told Prijic that a large number of solar panels were stuck in the Port of Los Angeles, but it could not be confirmed. If ongoing operations like Prijic's are suspended for a few months, it is conceivable that other planned solar panel projects will experience significant delays.
Prijic isn't the only one facing the situation. Many buyers planning to install Tesla's solar panels said their construction was delayed and there was little communication. Tesla makes solar panels at its Gigafactory in New York. The company's goal is to produce enough solar panels to cover 1,000 residential roofs a week, but for now, the current output appears to be far from that goal; the whole industry is struggling to make solar panels.
