BUFFALO, N.Y. — If you looked at the investor deck released by Tesla for the Q2 earnings report, you would think the nearly billion-dollar taxpayer-funded gigafactory didn't exist.
But it does.
The report, however, did indicate that solar output struggled in the second quarter of 2021 as compared to the first.
Tesla touted that they quadrupled solar output from Q2 2020 to Q2 2021--which they did. The deployed 27Mw of solar in the second quarter of 2020, which you may recall is when a global pandemic forced most of society inside, and those affluent enough to afford solar likely put that decision on the backburner.
Tesla reported they deployed 85Mw of solar in Q2 of 2021. That figure, however, is down 8% from their 92Mw deployed during the first quarter of the year.
"Our solar + storage product remains very popular, and we continue to improve efficiency of our install crews," the Tesla investors deck read.
The investor letter and deck presentation fail to reveal any information about production at the Buffalo gigafactory. There is no information about the number of panels produced in Buffalo, no mention of the number of roof tiles produced in Buffalo, no mention of Buffalo at all.
2 On Your Side's reporting of the Tesla project revealed tens of millions of dollars worth of equipment has been sitting in a storage space collecting dust.
In the statement earlier this year, Empire State Development said, "We are seeking alternative uses for the equipment, including making it available to other high-tech businesses that are considering a move or expansion in New York, or selling to interested bidders.”
To date, that equipment is still sitting unused.
Industry reports have documented the struggle Tesla has had trying to retrofit their solar tiles for mass distribution, but the Q2 investor report makes no mention of any meaningful progress figuring out installation problems.
While Tesla's automotive growth is strong, the more meaningful metrics to Buffalo are the solar figures, which remain inconsistent year to year.
