Known for its electric vehicles, Tesla Inc TSLA also has a solar energy division. Customers who bought solar rooftops in Florida may thank the company after the ongoing damage from Hurricane Ian.
What happened: Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida, causing severe damage to the region. Benzinga previously reported the impact could be $258 billion in replacement costs in one region and another $149 billion in the Tampa Bay area.
The impact could also be in the hundreds of millions of dollars for insurance companies.
Many homes need repairs or replacements, including damage to roofs from the high winds.
Tesla solar roof customers took to social media to show the minimal damage Hurricane Ian caused to their roofs.
Third Party Installers Kelly Roofing shared on Twitter images of solar roofs they’ve installed and how they’ve fared well during the storm. Some of the solar roofs in question are still functional after the storm hit the region.
“Tesla Solar’s roof withstood Hurricane Ian with winds of 155 mph and a 10 foot storm surge! This powerwall has been underwater for hours and is still working perfectly,” Kelly Roofing tweeted.
Powerwall FTW! https://t.co/GWAaXXCrYv
– Tesla (@Tesla) September 29, 2022
Tesla later shared the tweet saying “Powerwall FTW!”. Tesla CEO Elon Musk liked Tesla’s tweet.
The house in the Kelly Roofing pictures also has a Tesla Powerwall. According to the report, the Powerwall was submerged in water for hours but is still working.
The solar roof and powerwall feature could help residents of the home return home faster than others who are without power. Over two million people in Florida are without power due to the effects of Hurricane Ian.
Related Link: Could Bill Gates have stopped Hurricane Ian? The machine he patented to control storms
Why it matters: A report from Electrek calls the impact of Hurricane Ian a “real world extreme weather test” for Tesla solar rooftops.
The images and testimonials from customers could help build brand awareness for Tesla’s solar roof business and also justify the cost of installing a solar roof as it can save on energy bills over time and also withstand storms like Hurricane Ian.
In addition to helping customers who have Tesla solar roofs see less damage to their homes, Musk could help other Florida residents return to some sense of normalcy.
Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis said SpaceX, a space company led by Musk, provides Starlink satellite coverage for emergency response teams and residents in Florida regions.
“They are positioning these Starlink satellites to provide good coverage in southwest Florida and other affected areas,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis told local reporters that 30 Starlink units have already been distributed to residential areas. Another 10 Starlink units were sent to emergency response centers and first responders. Another 120 Starlink units are to be sent to the region to assist with search and rescue efforts, DeSantis added.
The Florida governor thanked Musk for providing the satellites and covering the associated satellite coverage costs.
Photo: Courtesy of Tabitha Kaylee Hawk and Steve Jurvetson on flickr and tesla.com