During Tesla's Q3 2025 earnings call, Vice President of Energy Engineering Michael Snyder announced the start of production for a new residential solar panel at the company's Buffalo, New York facility. Shipments to customers are set to begin in the first quarter of 2026. The announcement has sparked speculation about a potential revival of Tesla's Solar Roof program, which has faced slow growth since its 2016 unveiling.
Tesla's energy division shared updates during its Q3 2025 earnings call, highlighting strong demand for products like Megapack and Powerwall extending into next year. Snyder noted positive feedback for the new Megablock product, with shipments expected from Houston in 2026. He emphasized remarkable growth in demand for AI and data center applications, stating, “We’re seeing remarkable growth in the demand for AI and data center applications as hyperscalers and utilities have seen the versatility of the Megapack product. It increases reliability and relieves grid constraints.”
Snyder also pointed to a surge in residential solar demand in the US, driven by recent policy changes incentivizing home installations. Tesla anticipates this trend continuing into 2026, supported by a new solar lease product aimed at making adoption more affordable for homeowners.
The most notable revelation was the initiation of production for Tesla's residential solar panel at the Buffalo factory. Snyder described the panels as having “industry-leading aesthetics and shape performance,” echoing language previously used to promote the Solar Roof tiles. He said, “We also began production of our Tesla residential solar panel in our Buffalo factory, and we will be shipping that to customers starting Q1. The panel has industry-leading aesthetics and shape performance and demonstrates our continued commitment to US manufacturing.” Although Snyder did not explicitly name the product, the emphasis on aesthetics has fueled speculation of a large-scale rollout for the Solar Roof.
Unveiled in 2016, the Solar Roof was designed to integrate clean energy generation into rooftops without sacrificing design. However, production and installations have been limited. A 2023 Wood Mackenzie report estimated only 3,000 operational Solar Roof installations across the United States, a figure Tesla's official Energy account on X disputed as “incorrect by a large margin.” This latest development suggests renewed efforts to scale the program at the Giga New York facility in Buffalo.