How Tesla could change the solar power game

摘要

The dream of a solar-powered society has tantalised us for decades. But the costs Involved in piping the sun's energy into the electricity grid remain prohibitively high. Now, solar power could get the efficiency boost it needs - thanks to a corporate takeover. Last week, Tesla, which makes batteries big enough to power your home - and also happens to make the biggest-selling electric car -announced that it is buying SolarCity, one of the leading installers of solar panels in the US. Backed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who co-founded both companies, the combined expertise could provide the breakthrough the fledgling solar industry needs. The price of solar panels has fallen significantly in the last decade, but providing stable power from solar is more complex than just plugging in more panels. Grid operators need a way to store the sun's energy to smooth out the supply during the night and when it's cloudy.