Tesla is making good on its promise to install Solar Panels at its facilities, with a new .435 MW project, a .532 MW project, and a 1.4 MW project, which are all underway at the Fremont Factory.
According to new documents and filings with the City of Fremont, Tesla is installing a new .435 MW DC solar panel project on Building 8 of the Fremont Factory. Tesla representatives told Teslarati that Building 8 is likely a paint building or a boiler room, but could not confirm the exact details. Tesla’s Press department did not immediately respond to our requests to clarify what the building was used for.
It is a relatively small project, as it is not even half a megawatt. However, it is still a relatively large operation in the grand scheme of things, as the average U.S. household is about 1,500 square feet and would only need a 6 kW solar system to operate sufficiently.
Tesla is also installing a .532 MW project in General Assembly 3, and another 1.4 MW solar array on its Stamping Building.
The installation of the solar array at the Fremont Factory is a part of a large-scale effort Tesla has had for several years to make its facilities operational off solar power. For years, it has been Tesla’s goal to cover each of its facilities, starting with Gigafactory 1 in Nevada, in its solar panels. The operation will take several years to complete, but the company solidified its intentions in its most recent Impact Report, which was released in early August.
“Gigafactory Nevada was designed to be covered with solar panels. To date, we have installed solar panels with a capacity of 3,200 KW. This installation will grow to about 24,000 KW–the whole roof of the current building structure–by the end of next year. This will make it the largest rooftop solar installation in the U.S.,” Tesla wrote in the report. “We are installing solar panels at other locations, too, such as our Fremont Factory, Lathrop factory, and Gigafactory New York,” the company added.
Of course, Tesla’s Solar Panel operation is one of the company’s most accelerated growth stories. In Q3 2021, Tesla increased solar deployments by 46% year over year. Tesla also stated that further cost improvements, especially in installation, are increasing profitability for the company.
Tesla’s Fremont factory currently produces the Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y, with an annual production rate of around 600,000 vehicles every year. Tesla purchased the factory from GM and Toyota’s New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc in 2009.
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