Elon Musk Suggests Installing Solar Panels To Avoid PG&E Shutoffs

PALO ALTO, CA — With all signs pointing to PG&E's public safety power shutoffs becoming an annual event, Tesla CEO Elon Musk urged Californians to avoid blackouts by taking a different approach: buying some of his products.

In several tweets posted on Oct. 21, Musk, who leads the Palo Alto-based company, suggested that PG&E customers purchase Tesla's solar panel-battery storage apparatus for their homes, the Washington Post reported.

"Order Tesla Solar + Powerwall battery for 24/7 clean power & no blackouts!" Musk tweeted.

Installing solar panels can increase a home's value, Musk pointed out, adding that he would grant a $1,000 discount to customers who'd been affected by recent power shutoffs.

It's not the first time that Musk has gotten involved in disaster relief — notably, he tried to help rescue the Thai boys' soccer team trapped in a cave last year. But those efforts have come with controversy and accusations of opportunism, the Post reported.