Panasonic Corporation and Tesla confirm that they have reached a collaborative agreement to begin production of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules at the Tesla-owned SolarCity Corp. located in Buffalo, NY.
At the outset, high-efficiency photovoltaic cells will be used to make solar panels and when Tesla starts with the massive manufacture of its new Solar Roof line of solar glass tiles, Panasonic cells will be an essential component of these products.
All this technology and products will work hand in hand with Tesla's power storage systems: Powerwall and Powerpack. The production of the first photovoltaic modules will begin in the summer of 2017 and it is estimated that by 2019 enough modules will be manufactured to generate up to 1 GigaWatt of electrical energy.
When Telsa and Panasonic start production, more than 1,400 jobs will be created at the Buffalo facility. Panasonic will also bring its expertise in photovoltaic systems to work with Tesla to develop the new generation of photovoltaic technology at SolarCity's Fremont, California facility.
As part of the agreement, Panasonic will cover the required capital costs in Buffalo, while Tesla has committed to Panasonic in a long-term technology acquisition. With this announcement of collaboration, the previously established relationship between the two companies, which already included the production of battery modules for both electric vehicles and energy storage in the Tesla Gigafactory, is further extended.
