Tesla's rechargeable battery can power your home with solar energy - here's how it works

Tesla

Tesla is diving deeper into the solar business.

The electric car maker set its solar roof website live Wednesday, allowing consumers to order two of its four solar roof shingle options. (The other two will be available in 2018.) At $21.85 per square foot, it's more expensive than your common asphalt roof.

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But as Tesla wrote in a blog post Wednesday, the real savings will be seen on the electric bill: "Solar Roof is more affordable than conventional roofs because in most cases, it ultimately pays for itself by reducing or eliminating a home's electricity bill."

To actually experience those savings, however, customers will need to pay for an at-home battery. Otherwise, there's no way to store and use the electricity generated by the panels.

Naturally, Tesla isn't the only company that sells at-home batteries. But interested solar roof buyers may want to opt for Tesla's version for a more seamless experience.

Here's everything you need to know about Powerwall 2, Tesla's at-home battery:

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