2016 – SolarCity Becomes Part Of Tesla’s Family
In the United States, SolarCity has represented the recognized leader in residential solar installation since 2006. Ten years later, the business began seeing a breakdown. Loan rates were growing higher and higher along with the cost of direct marketing and sales. With all the considerable increases, the famed solar installer business goals grew smaller. This financial meltdown was quietly hidden from public view. November 2016, Tesla Energy secured the trending solar panel installer, with the ardent desire of successfully creating a renewable green energy company which provided electrical power storage, renewable generation and tenable modes of sustainable transportation. Since the merge, Tesla engages in the sun resources business as Tesla Solar (TS) and SolarCity becomes absorbed into their identity. This valuable acquisition was to intentionally make TS an economic giant in the solar energy industry.
The main solar panel suppliers for Tesla Solar was Kocera, REC Group, Trina Solar and Canadian Solar, supplying about 79%. During that time in 2016, they also sourced from Hanwha Q Cells and LG Electronics. The most sensational change began when TS started producing its own panels at the extensive facility in Fremont, California. A notable year for even more astounding changes, coordinating conjunction with international electronics mammoth Panasonic to manufacture solar cells and panels at its Southern Buffalo, NY Gigafactory 2 facility. Harnessing one of the most efficient technology in the solar market, Tesla Solar and Panasonic progressively increased its in-house production.
In spite of the production push, they continued to import sunlight merchandise from overseas. Tesla Solar stressed that its faithfulness to increase solar manufacturing following the Trump solar tariff would not influence or affect their production process. Panasonic consented to cover Tesla’s factory costs while Tesla complied to purchase Panasonic’s customized solar panels, cells and roofs. With Panasonic manufacturing in-house, they completely slid under the tariff radar. These radical changes were efforts to develop an extraordinary trademark and innovative product that would merge with Tesla’s sexy “sleek and low-profile” brand and segregate them from all other installers. This sale and business strategy was less market share motivated and more sustainability-driven.
2017 – Tesla Solar Downsizes Its Solar Panel Suppliers
In 2017 more changes occurred within the innovative company through May 2018. Usage of the trusted providers, Kyocera and REC Group decreased significantly, in turn usage with the other suppliers increased. Throughout the rest of the year, Tesla Solar diminished its major base external suppliers to just Trina Solar and Hanwha Q Cells, while depending enormously on its in-house manufacturing for both consumers and commercial projects to accommodate the considerable demand.
2018 – Tesla Solar Uses Its Own Brand Of Panels
After the 2018 Christmas season, well into 2019, Tesla Solar appears to still be primarily using their own Tesla branded Panasonic solar panels and cells. Correspondingly, the usage of their contracted external supplies has equally decreased. SolarCity operates in name only under the Tesla Solar umbrella as a Tesla Solar national installer still using third-party (Trina Solar and Hanwha Q Cells) and Tesla-branded panels.
