US electric car maker Tesla has partnered with Japanese electronics giant Panasonic to for the large-scale production of photovoltaic cells and modules in New York state.
The collaboration is dependent on Tesla’s $2.6bn acquisition of SolarCity, announced in June last year, which is due to be completed in November.
With the aid of installation, sales and financing capabilities from SolarCity, Tesla will bring an "integrated sustainable energy solution to residential, commercial and grid-scale customers".
Tesla will use Panasonic’s cells and modules in a solar energy system that will work with its energy storage products Powerwall and Powerpack (pictured).
Shuuji Okayama, vice-president of the Eco Solutions arm of Panasonic, said: "Panasonic PV cells and modules boast industry-leading power generation performance and achieve high quality and reliability."
JB Straubel, co-founder of Tesla, said: "By working together on solar, we will be able to accelerate production of high-efficiency, extremely reliable solar cells and modules at the best cost."
The collaboration will extend Tesla and Panasonic’s relationship, which includes the production of electric vehicle and grid storage battery cells at Tesla’s Gigafactory.
The parties intend for Panasonic to begin cell and module production at the Buffalo, New York facility in 2017.
Image: The Powerwall behind a Tesla car (Tesla)
