Solar roof tiles can help cover your electricity bills

Instead of bulky photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, solar shingles blend right in with your other roofing tiles.  They are embedded with silicon photovoltaic materials so they can absorb solar energy which is converted for use within your home.  Some homeowners have reported 60% savings on their energy bills with solar roofing tiles.  After all, solar electricity is 100% free and 100% clean.

Solar roof tiles are a form of building integrated photovoltaics, which means solar energy producing building elements.  They blend right into the profile of your roof and actually last longer than regular roofing materials.  Once your solar roofing tiles are installed, you can simply forget about them and enjoy greatly diminished electricity bills.

Solar roofing tiles are preferred by homeowners because they are not as heavy as solar panels and do not require roof penetrations.  They are less “ugly” and may be more readily approved by reviewing governmental agencies or homeowners associations that are concerned about aesthetic appearances.

So, where can you find solar roof tiles?  Two manufacturers are leading the way in the U.S. for production and distribution of the product:  Dow Chemical Company and SRS Energy Co. Each of the solar tiles are attractive and functional.  Dow’s solar shingles are less expensive, but perhaps slightly less efficient than the SRS Energy Co.’s Sole Power Tiles.  With a professional installation, you can start drawing on free solar electricity to help cover your electricity bills soon!

Put your roof to a good use beyond just providing you shelter.  Add some solar roof tiles and use some of the ample sunlight that falls on it each day.

SolTech Passive Solar Glass Roof Tiles

Passive solar energy in cold climates?  Yes, with the new SolTech Energy glass roofing tiles, homeowners can trap and use warm air to help heat interior spaces.  Curved glass tiles use thermal imbalance to create maximum air flow through fabric-covered channels in the system.  As hot air rises, it flows around horizontal frames, becoming superheated on its way to the building’s heating system.  A fan helps propels the hot air loops, as well.

Consider this diagram:

How passive solar roof tiles heat building interiors

The solar glass roof tiles work in any climate.  In fact, SolTech debuted its passive solar system in cold, often snowy, Sweden.  This year, the company was honored with the “Hottest New Material 2010,” award from the North Building Fair, Nordbygg, a construction-related trade fair held in Stockholm.  Not only can you heat your home with the passive solar system, but it can also help you remove snow from your rooftop!

Currently, you can purchase the solar tiles in Sweden and Spain.  Hopefully, the rest of the world will soon be able to install and use this amazing solar technology.  SolTech Energy reports that it expects to start selling to the U.S. construction and roofing markets in 2011.

Glass roof tiles are durable and efficient

The inventive solar glass roof tiles resemble solar roofing found in building integrated photovoltaics applications, but they do not actually generate solar electricity like their thin film solar “cousins.”  Nonetheless, expect the shiny cool passive solar system to warm your interior for years with minimal maintenance.  The glass tiles meet current building code standards for roofing materials and last longer than most roofing shingles or tiles because the glass is UV resistant and erosion-proof.

No matter how you currently heat your home – gas, electricity, geothermal, or boilers/radiators, the SolTech solar glass roof tiles can be integrated to reduce your heating costs with passive solar energy.

Solar Roof Tiles

If you are interested in installing solar panels on your roof, there are a number of options.  One of the most recent innovations are solar roof tiles.  These look just like the real thing, but they help deliver clean, green solar energy to your home, without the need for bulky solar panels.

These tiles are perfect if you live in the desert Southwest, southern California, or if you simply like the look of clay roof tiles. The Solé Power Tile system is the first building-integrated photovoltaic roofing product that has been designed to blend with curved roof tiles.  The only thing you’ll notice are significantly lower electricity bills!

Solar shingles

Solar roof tiles work as follows.  The tiles are designed to be installed so that there is only a 3 inch overlap, leaving the remaining 15 inches of roof tile exposed to ultraviolet sunlight.  Expect to install approximately 30 tiles per 100 square feet of roof surface, which can generate up to 860 kilowatt-hours annually.  According to SRS Energy:

“triple-junction amorphous silicon thin-film technology incorporated within the Solé Power Tile allows the system to produce an estimated 8-20% more energy than incumbent crystalline silicon panels.”

If you cannot utilize 100% of the power generated by your solar roof tiles, excess energy can be stored in batteries or fed back into the grid.  Your utility company may provide you a credit on your bill for doing so!

If you are not a fan of tiled roofs, you can go with a more traditional-looking solar power roof shingle installation instead.  As with the solar roof tiles, the solar shingles blend seamlessly and also use thin film solar technology.

The Sole Power Tiles are only available in the West Coast area of the United States currently.  They’ll be sold nationwide starting in 2010.  Remember that solar incentives and rebates are available to defray initial costs of solar roof tiles or other solar panel installations!

Solar roof shingles

Do you want to go solar, but don’t like the look of panels?  Consider solar roof shingles instead! Also known as solar roof tiles, solar shingles look just like regular asphalt roofing material.  The secret is they are covered with thin film photovoltaic (PV) material, which operates just like solar panels.

The shingles absorb ultraviolet light and transform direct current to alternating current for electrical needs inside your home or business.  Use them to cover all or a part of the south-facing side of your structure, and you’ll tap into free solar energy for years to come.

It makes perfect sense to tap into the solar power that hits your roof each and every day.  All that UV light – even on cloudy days – is a rich source of free power.

Why not tap into the solar energy that hits your roof each day?

The benefits of solar roof shingles over regular solar panels (or even ordinary roof shingles) are:

(1) aesthetics – solar tiles are virtually invisible, as part of your roof.

(2) durability – solar shingles are manufactured to last 30-40 years, longer than other types of roofing materials

(3) reliability – once you have installed solar roof shingles, just sit back and enjoy your free solar energy.  You may even be able to avoid electric bills all together.  The assurance you’ll have when the grid power goes out

(4) increased home value – solar panel installations are popular among home buyers. Estimates are that your house will be worth 10% more with solar roof shingles or panels, than without.  Be sure to consider this factor when thinking about the cost of solar panels or roof shingles.

I’m thinking that solar roof shingles would be a great spring project!  The time is just perfect to go solar, between state and federal tax incentives (up to 80% of the cost) and dealers looking to sell their product in the down economy.  Not only will you boost the value of your home, but you’ll also love the energy savings each and every month.

Have you installed solar shingles on your home?  We’d love to hear your story in the comments below!