I installed Tesla Powerwall + 6 kW solar in 2025. Here’s the real Y1 cost + savings data.
The numbers
System cost: $24,000 (after 30% IRA tax credit · net $16,800)
Y1 electricity savings: $1,800 (replaced 90% of grid usage)
Y1 outage protection: 4 power outages survived (avg 3-8 hours each)
Battery degradation: 2% Y1 · 95% capacity at Y10 expected
Payback: ~9 years on net cost. Not great pure ROI · justified by outage protection + sustainability.
Who should buy
Owners · 8+ year residency horizon · climate with frequent outages · solar-friendly state with net metering.
Who should NOT
Renters · short-term residents (2-5 yr) · states without net metering · already low electricity costs.
⚠ Energy economics vary by state · time of use rates · roof orientation. Verify with local installer.
⚠ AI-assisted research synthesis · human-edited by SUJI KIM · EU AI Act Art. 50 transparency
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By SUJI KIM · About · 30-day refund Gumroad standard