Sustainable Energy Production from Tesla Solar Tiles on a 53-Foot Trailer

To estimate how much electricity a 53-foot trailer covered with Tesla solar tiles could produce on a sunny day, several factors need to be considered: the area of the trailer, the efficiency of the solar tiles, and the average solar irradiance.

Area of the Trailer

A standard 53-foot trailer has a width of about 8.5 feet. Therefore, the total area can be calculated as follows:

Area Length times; Width 53 ft times; 8.5 ft 450.5 sq ft

Tesla Solar Tiles Efficiency

Tesla solar tiles have an efficiency of approximately 20% to 22%. For this calculation, we can use an average efficiency of 21%.

Solar Irradiance

On a sunny day, the average solar irradiance is about 1000 watts per square meter (W/m2). To convert square feet to square meters, 1 sq ft 0.092903 sq m:

Area in sq m 450.5 sq ft times; 0.092903 sq m/sq ft approx; 41.9 sq m

Calculating Potential Energy Production

Now we can calculate the potential energy production:

Power W Area m2 times; Solar Irradiance W/m2 times; Efficiency

Substituting the values:

Power 41.9 m2 times; 1000 W/m2 times; 0.21 approx; 8799 W

Daily Energy Production

To find the daily energy production, we assume about 5-6 hours of peak sunlight per day:

Energy kWh Power W times; Hours of Sunlight / 1000

Using 5.5 hours of peak sunlight:

Energy 8799 W times; 5.5 h / 1000 approx; 48.4 kWh

Conclusion

A 53-foot trailer covered with Tesla solar tiles could produce approximately 48.4 kWh of electricity on a sunny day. This estimate assumes optimal conditions and does not account for shading, angle, or any inefficiencies in the system.

The energy consumption of the Tesla Semi, which varies based on load, terrain, and driving conditions, must be considered to ensure the energy produced aligns with the energy needs of the semi for effective use.

Considerations for Sustainable Energy Production

The energy produced by a solar trailer can be unexpected when comparing it to the energy consumption of a vehicle. For example, it takes approximately 40 horsepower to go 50 mph, which translates to around 30 kilowatts (kW). Thus, the peak power from a trailer full of solar panels is not sufficient to sustainably run a vehicle like a Honda Civic, even at relatively low speeds.