Tesla offers to buy SolarCity, could be the first long-term clean transport play

When coupled with clean, renewable energy, electric vehicles promise to usher in a new era of sustainable transport, and guess who's leading the charge?

In what may be the trifecta of transition, bid Tesla Motors' to obtain SolarCity could result in clean energy, energy storage, and transportation companies first vertically integrated in the world.

The negative Nellies of the world like to complain about intermittencies solar energy, because the sun only shines during the day (duh), but it quickly became a moot point because of advances in energy storage and smart grid technologies. It's also a lot of thought (and incorrectly so) that solar is expensive, when it has reached grid parity in many cities across the country and around the world, and a case can be made that the sun generates savings well beyond the initial cost, and can offer a return on investment better than many pension funds.

Debbie is Downers also likes to complain that electric cars (mostly) driven by coal plants, and that the components they depend on resources derived from the extractive (as if the gasoline car is not), and that the end-of-life process aren 't sufficiently developed to handle "dead battery" (as if the gadget-centric modern culture we had not been dependent on large quanitities battery decidedly non-reusable).

All of it is a way of rambling to say that I can not wait to hear what you have energy and EV Eeyores to say about the proposed acquisition of SolarCity by Tesla Motors, simply because there are so many potential challenges to an integrated energy company that will definitely bring out the undecided and opponents. But I digress, so back to the real story, which is the bid itself.

On Tuesday the 21st, the team Tesla Motors posted his intentions on his blog, said that "the combination of Tesla and SolarCity will provide significant benefits to shareholders, customers and employees," and going to state the reasons why:

We will be vertically integrated energy company in the world that offers end-to-end clean energy products for our customers. It will start with a car that you drive and energy you use to fill in, and will extend to how everything else in your home or business is supported. With the Model S, the Model X, or Model 3, your solar panel system, and Powerwall you all in place, you will be able to deploy and consume energy in a way that is most efficient and sustainable as possible, lowering costs and minimizing your dependence on fossil fuels and grid.

We will be able to expand our addressable market more than either company could do separately. Because the shared ideals of the company and our customers, the people who are interested in buying or Powerwalls Tesla vehicles are naturally interested in going solar, and the reverse is true as well. When taken together with high foot traffic drawn to the store Tesla, everyone should benefit.

We will be able to maximize and build core competencies of each company. Tesla experience in design, engineering, and manufacturing should help continue to advance the technology of solar panel, including by making solar panels add to the look of your home. Similarly, an extensive network SolarCity sales and distribution channels and expertise in offering customer-friendly financial products will significantly benefit Tesla and its customers.

We will be able to provide installation services that might be the best for all of our clean energy products. SolarCity is the best in installing solar panel systems, and expertise that translates seamlessly to Powerwalls installation and charging systems for vehicles Tesla.

Culture, this is perfect. Both companies are driven by the mission of sustainability, innovation, and overcome any challenges that stand in the way of progress.

The blog post also offers details of the proposals, which include the ratio of the proposed share exchange of common shares of Tesla's common stock SolarCity, which Tesla says represents a premium "of about 21% to 30% of the stock's closing price SolarCity," and stated that the team believes that the proposal "offers fair value and attractive to SolarCity and its shareholders. "

Obviously, there are various aspects to this deal was proposed that could be a concern for investors, such as the implications of Tesla acquired a company that has been said to be bleeding cash (other than the debt itself), or that this deal could lead to Tesla headaches over the odds, but overall, cleantech community seems to support such a move.

The proposal also raises another question, which is why more than a large car is not moving fast toward the production of electric vehicles, and why they do not invest in the booming industry such as the sun, when writing seems on the wall about the mid- to long-term prospects of our gasoline-based transportation system. But perhaps that is talked about much slower ability for companies rooted to the shaft and diversified offerings and investment than about the future viability of clean energy and clean transport connections.