Energy
Tesla patent hints at system that makes Solar Roof tiles look even better
While Tesla’s Solar Roof tiles are already being installed on the homes of first customers in the United States, the shingles themselves are still in initial production. Unveiled back in October 2016, the Solar Roof tiles are expected hit larger production volumes this year. As the company heads into yet another ramp of a potentially disruptive product, though, Tesla appears to be working on some improvements on the tiles’ design as well.
As noted in a recently published patent application, Tesla is developing a system that would allow the company to improve the aesthetics of the solar shingles even further. In the patent application’s description, Tesla noted that integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) roofing systems such as the Solar Roof tiles are becoming more popular in the residential solar market, thanks to their benefits in both function and design. That said, while BIPV systems present an excellent solution for design-conscious customers, the system itself faces some challenges — the most notable of which is visual uniformity.
Tesla notes that in prior art BIPV roofing systems, the active solar portions of a roofing module end up being visibly different in appearance compared to inactive parts of the roof. The company notes that this contrast in appearance can get so pronounced that it becomes easy to spot which tiles are active and which are inactive from road level. Tesla notes that even in the design of the shingles themselves, it is quite easy to determine which parts of the tiles are active and which ones are not.
“This problem of visual mismatch, however, is not limited to BIPV versus non-BIPV sections of the roof. Even within a single roof tile and/or BIPV roofing module, the solar cells or active solar regions are clearly distinguishable from the other surrounding materials. This is due in part to edge setback constraints that impose a fixed, non-active edge border around active solar portions of solar roof tiles or BIPV roofing modules. Therefore, there exists a need for a solar roof tile or BIPV roofing module that ameliorates deficiencies of prior art BIPV roofing systems,” Tesla wrote.
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- Tesla’s solar shingle design outlined in its recent patent application. (Photo: US Patent Office)
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- Tesla’s solar shingle design outlined in its recent patent application. (Photo: US Patent Office)
The design of Tesla’s solar shingles outlined in its recent patent application. (Photo: US Patent Office)
Tesla explains this design issue for BIPV roofing systems more extensively in the section below.
“In either tile 105 of FIG. 2 or tile 106 of FIG. 3, the lack of active thin-film material within the edge setback results in a relatively large, e.g. ˜16 mm, visible border around the outside of active area 112 that is noticeable not only when viewed up close, but even at street level distances from a roof surface. This result can be seen in the extended partial array 100 of FIG. 4. The relatively large percentage of tile surface area of the edge setback that is devoid of thin-film material creates a sharply contrasting two-color/two-tone pattern between the area surrounding the active area of thin-film photovoltaic material and the active area of thin-film photovoltaic material. In embodiments, techniques are used to provide aesthetic uniformity such as depositing colored material on the underside of top glass 110 prior to lamination to conceal active area 112 beneath. This approach, however, may result in a reduction in energy collection because these extra materials may block photons from reaching active area 112.”
Tesla’s solution for this aesthetic challenge — which uses an inactive area of thin-film photovoltaic material that surrounds a solar shingles’ active area — is simple and clever. Tesla describes its design in the section below.
“As shown, the tiles 205 include a substantially rectangular active 212 surrounded by a substantially rectangular board of an inactive area 225. In embodiments, the inactive area may completely surround the active area or may only be present on one, two or three sides of the active area. As shown in FIG. 5, the tiles 205 create a more uniform look and, when viewed at distances, such as in shown in FIG. 8, adhesion area 215 blends into the natural seams between adjacent tiles or between active areas 212 of adjacent tile sections. The visible material difference has been attenuated by the use of non-active thin-film material within a portion of the setback region allowing for a smaller adhesion zone.”
Tesla’s recent patent application would be particularly useful for the other Solar Roof variants planned by the company. So far, social media posts from Solar Roof owners show homes fitted with the company’s Textured tiles, whose design inherently bypasses the uniformity issues described in the patent application. As for other Solar Roof variants like Smooth and Tuscan, though, the recent application’s innovations would certainly be beneficial.
Tesla’s Solar Roof tiles are being produced at Gigafactory 2 in Buffalo, NY. Over the years, the facility has largely evaded attention, particularly as Tesla’s energy business was mostly overshadowed by the company’s ramp for the Model 3. Last year, though, Tesla opened the doors of Gigafactory 2 to the media, providing a glimpse of what is in store for the company’s residential solar business. While Tesla did not provide specifics on the facility’s current output, the electric car and energy company did state that Gigafactory 2 is operating 24/7, and that the long waiting list for the Solar Roof tiles would likely keep the entire facility busy for years.
Tesla just trademarked ‘MEGAPOD’ with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), its latest move in what seems to be a hint that the company is incredibly focused on its AI efforts and storage needs as compute increases.
The application carries serial number 99893717 and lists the applicant as Tesla, Inc., located at 1 Tesla Road, Austin, Texas 78725.
The filing remains in ‘live pending’ status, and it is a new application waiting for assignment to an examining attorney. It has not yet been published or registered.
Tesla just trademarked MEGAPOD
Summary:
“Modular data center hardware systems for artificial intelligence computing, comprised of computer servers, computer hardware for artificial intelligence processing, computer networking hardware, electrical power distribution units, and… pic.twitter.com/3l85DsKadl— Robin (@xdNiBoR) June 19, 2026
According to the official goods and services description in the application, Tesla describes ‘MEGAPOD’ as:
“Modular data center hardware systems for artificial intelligence computing, comprised of computer servers, computer hardware for artificial intelligence processing, computer networking hardware, electrical power distribution units, and cooling systems, sold as a unit; self-contained modular computing hardware systems for artificial intelligence workloads; integrated computer hardware platforms for artificial intelligence computing, namely, enclosures containing computer hardware, power distribution hardware, and cooling hardware, sold as a unit; downloadable software for monitoring, managing, optimizing, and regulating modular artificial intelligence computing hardware systems.”
This description specifies complete, self-contained modular units that integrate servers and specialized AI processing hardware with networking components, power distribution, and cooling systems. It also includes associated downloadable software for oversight and optimization of these systems. The language emphasizes hardware sold “as a unit” and enclosures that combine the necessary elements for AI computing workloads.
Tesla has an established history of developing and commercializing modular hardware systems. Its Megapack product line, for example, consists of utility-scale battery energy storage systems designed as containerized units for grid applications. The MEGAPOD filing follows a similar pattern of protecting a name for modular, integrated hardware platforms, this time focused on artificial intelligence computing infrastructure.
This could be an early move, especially as Tesla did not have trademark rights to the word ‘Cybercab,’ the name of its self-driving, ride-hailing-focused vehicle.
Trademark applications of this type allow companies to secure priority rights to a name for defined categories of goods and services. The USPTO examines applications for compliance with legal requirements, including distinctiveness and absence of conflicts with prior marks. If the application proceeds successfully through examination, publication, and any opposition period, it could result in a federal trademark registration providing nationwide protection. This is what Tesla’s obvious intention is with ‘MEGAPOD.’
Public reports and analysis suggest MEGAPOD could represent modular, container-style AI computing pods designed for easy deployment. These would bundle servers, AI accelerators, power systems, and cooling into self-contained units suitable for distributed AI workloads. This approach aligns with Tesla’s announced AI compute strategy.
In March 2026, Elon Musk outlined plans for “Digital Optimus” (also referred to as Macrohard), a joint Tesla-xAI project for AI agents capable of handling complex digital tasks. The plans include running these agents on Tesla’s AI4 hardware in parked vehicles as well as dedicated compute units installed at Supercharger stations, which collectively offer substantial unused electrical capacity.
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A modular hardware platform like the one described in the ‘MEGAPOD’ filing would support scalable, rapid deployment of such distributed compute resources. It could complement Tesla’s other AI infrastructure efforts, including the Dojo supercomputer used for training models and the development of AI systems for autonomous driving and robotics, by enabling edge or regional AI inference without reliance on traditional centralized data centers.
In a notable intersection of Big Tech powerhouses, Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, has partnered with Canadian energy infrastructure giant Enbridge on a significant renewable energy initiative that will rely on battery technology from Elon Musk’s Tesla.
The project, which was announced this week, marks another step in Meta’s aggressive push to power its expanding data center operations with clean energy, dispelling many of the complaints people have about them.
This new development is located near Cheyenne, Wyoming, and will feature a 365-megawatt (MW) solar farm paired with a 200 MW/1,600 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system, also known as BESS. Tesla is providing the batteries for the project, valued at roughly $200 million.
The story was originally reported by Utility Dive.
This Wyoming project represents the first phase of Enbridge and Meta’s joint “Cowboy Project.” Once operational, it will deliver power to Meta’s regional data centers through Cheyenne Light, Fuel, and Power under Wyoming’s Large Power Contract Service tariff.
This tariff, originally developed in collaboration with Microsoft and Black Hills Energy, is designed specifically for large loads like data centers. It ensures that the renewable supply serves hyperscale customers without impacting retail electricity rates for other users.
The battery system will operate under a long-term tolling agreement, providing dispatchable capacity that enhances grid reliability. During periods of high demand, the utility can access the backup generation, addressing one of the key challenges of integrating large-scale renewables with the explosive growth of data center electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence.
This latest collaboration builds on prior joint efforts between Enbridge and Meta in Texas, including the 600 MW Clear Fork Solar, 152 MW Easter Wind, and 300 MW Cone Wind projects. Together with the Wyoming initiative, the companies have now partnered on roughly 1.6 gigawatts (GW) of combined solar, wind, and storage capacity.
The deal highlights the intensifying demand for reliable, low-carbon power from technology giants. Meta has committed to supporting its data center growth with renewable energy, joining peers like Microsoft and Google in seeking large-scale solutions. Enbridge’s Allen Capps described the project as “one of the larger utility-scale battery installations supporting U.S. data center operations and growth.”
The involvement of Tesla’s battery technology adds an intriguing layer, linking two of the world’s most prominent tech leaders—Zuckerberg and Musk—in the clean energy transition.
As data centers continue to drive unprecedented electricity load growth across the United States, projects like this one illustrate how hyperscalers are turning to strategic partnerships with traditional energy players and innovative storage solutions to meet both sustainability goals and reliability needs.
Elon Musk
Why SpaceX just made a $60 billion bet on AI coding ahead of historic IPO
SpaceX has secured an option to acquire Cursor AI for $60 billion ahead of its historic IPO.
SpaceX announced today it has struck a deal with AI coding startup Cursor, securing the option to acquire the company outright for $60 billion later this year, while committing $10 billion for joint development work in the interim. The announcement described the partnership as building “the world’s best coding and knowledge work AI,” and comes just days after Cursor was separately reported to be raising $2 billion at a valuation above $50 billion.
The move makes strategic sense given where each company currently stands. Cursor currently pays retail prices to Anthropic and OpenAI to the same companies competing directly against it with Claude Code and Codex. That means every dollar of revenue Cursor earns partially funds its own competition. With SpaceX bringing computational infrastructure to the Cursor platform, that could reduce Cursor’s dependence on OpenAI and Anthropic’s Claude AI as its providers. Access to SpaceX’s Colossus supercomputer, with compute equivalent to one million Nvidia H100 chips, gives Cursor the infrastructure to run and train its own models at a scale it could never afford independently. That one change restructures the entire unit economics of the business.
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Cursor’s $2 billion in annualized revenue and enterprise reach across more than half of Fortune 500 companies gives SpaceX something its xAI subsidiary currently lacks, which is a proven, fast-growing software business with real enterprise distribution.
For Cursor, SpaceX’s $10 billion in joint development funding is transformational. Cursor raised $3.3 billion across all of 2025 to reach that $2 billion in revenue. A single $10 billion commitment from SpaceX, even as a development payment rather than an acquisition, dwarfs everything Cursor has raised in its entire existence. That capital accelerates product development, enterprise sales infrastructure, and proprietary model training simultaneously.
The timing is deliberate. SpaceX filed confidentially with the SEC on April 1, 2026, targeting a June listing at a $1.75 trillion valuation, in what would be the largest public offering in history. The company is expected to begin its roadshow the week of June 8, with Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley serving as underwriters. Adding Cursor to the portfolio before that roadshow gives IPO investors a concrete enterprise software revenue story to price in, alongside rockets and satellite internet.
The deal also addresses a weakness that became visible after February’s xAI merger. Several xAI co-founders departed following that acquisition, and SpaceX had already hired two Cursor engineers, signaling where its AI talent strategy was heading. Cursor, for its part, faces a pricing disadvantage competing against Anthropic’s Claude Code.
Whether SpaceX exercises the full acquisition option before its IPO or after remains the open question. Either way, this deal reshapes what investors will be buying into when SpaceX goes public.
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