The announcement of Tesla’s solar products caught the media off guard, instantly capturing our attention with their draw-dropping beauty and simplicity. We held a collective breath—how much are these going to cost, exactly? Are they scalable? Endless Energy The sun is a free and relatively endless source of energy. The Tesla website reminds us that, “The sun provides more than enough energy in just one hour to supply our planet’s energy needs for an entire year.” Harnessing that power simply makes sense. To help consumers utilize that power, Tesla finalized the acquisition of SolarCity for roughly $2.6 billion in November 2016. Together, the entities aim to  “provide customers with full-stack solutions for owning their own energy production, storage and consumption.” To date, that stack includes solar tiles, Powerwalls and Powerpacks. Solar Tiles Tesla solar tiles create stunning, energy efficient roofs that are also affordable. Fortune estimates the solar cell costs to be $0.40 per watt, comparable to commodity solar panels. The difference comes in their efficiency: Tesla’s solar tiles are nearly 15 percent more efficient. The solar roofs can also be less expensive. Tesla CEO Elon Musk states that he aimed for an installed cost that is less than the cost of a conventional roof and the electricity bill for a home. Some of the cost savings come in the form of shipping. Tesla’s tiles are one-fifth the weight of similar products. That makes the lightweight and ultra durable material easier and less expensive to transport. They are also harder to break than asphalt shingles or terra cotta tiles, reducing the cost of wasted materials. The durable tiles will not need to be replaced or repaired as often as conventional roofing or competitors’ solar panels. Where traditional roofing shattered under impact, the Tesla glass...