Renowned global entrepreneur Elon Musk’s latest product offering, solar roof tiles, are being left in the shade by similar products manufactured by an emerging Australian company.
Mr Musk, who helped pioneer PayPal and Tesla become international giants, this week launched sales of its latest product offering, the Tesla solar roof tile.
The launch created international headlines and for rival Queensland company Trac Group Holdings it could not have come at a better time.
Trac Group managing director Jason Perkins said the high-profile entrepreneur’s foray into the solar roof tile business will boost the industry and raise awareness among consumers.
Mr Perkins says Tesla’s product launch should boost Trac Group’s own sales because their Tractile Solar Roof tiles far outperformed the Tesla products.
“It’s fair to say that when you compare the Tractile Solar Roof tiles with the Tesla products, the Tesla products are simply left in the shade,’’ said Mr Perkins.
“Regardless of whether it’s the price of the roof, the weight of the roof, the amount of electricity and hot water it produces per square metre or the options for the roof lines, our products compare very favourably.
Trac Group, which is the designer and manufacturer of award-winning roofing products, is now rolling out its products throughout Australia and it hopes to push into the giant US market very soon.
“During the past eight years we have developed, product tested and refined our Tractile Solar Roof tiles and we are now preparing to start a global roll-out of our products,’’ said Mr Perkins.
“Tractile was one of the first companies to offer solar roof tiles, and the only one in the world that offers both electricity and heated water from a solar roof tile. We are technology leaders with a strong focus on design.’
“Mr Musk has done the industry and our company a huge favour by highlighting the opportunity for the solar roof tile sector.
“It is forecast that the Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) market will grow from about $3 billion in 2015 to over $9 billion in 2019, and surge to $26 billion by 2022.
