"What if we can offer you a roof that looks way better than a normal roof? What if we could offer you a roof that lasts far longer than a normal roof? Now, it's a different ballgame." – Elon Musk on solar roofing.
While the development of building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV), and specifically solar roofing, technologies is a natural evolutionary step in an increasingly solar-centric world—and while such technologies hold a wow factor for many—whether they are commercially viable remains an open question. While it is hard to bet against a man who is simultaneously involved in sports car, advanced battery and spaceship companies, Eric Wesoff makes a pretty compelling argument that the history of solar roofing might have a few more pitfalls than the always aspirational Mr. Musk would like to publicly admit. For an interesting take on the challenges facing solar roofing manufacturers, see Wesoff’s piece on Greentech Media.