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Tesla And Panasonic Will Make Solar Cells In Buffalo

Tesla has announced that it has signed an agreement with Panasonic, and that the two partners will work together to build photovoltaic cells and modules in Buffalo, New York.
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The partnership between Tesla and Panasonic started with batteries, but it has expanded with other components, which now include solar PV cells for solar panels, as well as modules to control and manage those cells. An important part of the collaboration focuses on solar glass tile roofs, which will be manufactured by Tesla, and they will incorporate Panasonic’s PV (photovoltaic) cells.

Tesla has already announced that the new components, scheduled for production in the summer of 2017, will be compatible with its energy storage products. Moreover, the representatives of the American brand defined the interaction between the Powerwall, Powerpack, and the new PV cells and modules as “seamless,” which refers to an excellent integration that will improve the lives of their customers.

The factory in Buffalo, New York, which will manufacture the PV modules and cells is part of SolarCity’s chain of production. According to Tesla’s statement, Panasonic has agreed to cover the necessary capital costs in Buffalo, which could bring over 1,400 jobs to the city, out of which over 500 are in manufacturing.

As you know, Tesla has acquired SolarCity, and the two brands will share their logistics network to increase sales and offer better integration of their solutions. Module production is predicted to be ramped up to 1 Gigawatt by 2019.

Panasonic’s specialists will work in close collaboration with Tesla to develop the next generation of photovoltaic cells at the SolarCity facility in Fremont, California. The Asian corporation is motivated to do this kind of investment because Tesla has agreed to make a long-term purchase commitment with Panasonic, which includes grid storage battery cells, and electric vehicle battery cells at the Gigafactory.

It is important to remark that Tesla has underlined the fact that its press release contains several “forward-looking statements,” which rely on multiple factors to become valid, and are currently based on the management’s current expectations.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
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Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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