Solar Shingles and the Solar Power Roof
With the rapid advancement of solar power we are now seeing new products enter the market containing “integrated solar panels”. For example, solar shingles.
What are Solar shingles? Essentially they are ordinary roof shingles which are made out of photovoltaic materials. They perform the same function as an ordinary roof shingle, but have the added capability of producing electricity.
The advantage of the solar shingles is that these thin “solar panels” can now be integrated right into one’s building materials – so instead of having solar panels on your roof, you would now have a solar roof.
Aside from being more desireable from an aesthetic standpoint, this also eliminates the need for the installation of bulky and heavy “traditional solar panels”.
How are Solar Shingles Made?
Advancments in solar power technology, such as the inventions of solar ink and other combinations of semi-conductors, have made it possible to combine or include photovoltaic materials in with a wide range of other products and materials. Solar cells no longer need to be made out of bulky heavy weight silicon panels, but can in fact be printed on just about any type of material – such as plastic, metal, and others. Researchers have even found ways to produce organic photovoltaics, though that is at the moment still in a purely experimental phase.
Benefits of Solar Shingles
- Attractive style
- Fully integrated shingle roof
- Lower electric bill
- Free electricity
- Pollution-free power
- Increased home value
- Protects the environment
- Exceptionally durable
- Great investment
- Significant state cash rebates available
- Federal tax incentives available
Solar Shingles Costs and Financing
To be honest, right at this moment solar shingles might still seem expensive to some, but as any new technology develops its products become cheaper with time. However it does look as though the cost will be considerably lower than installinga comparable set of conventional solar panels. In one recent example, the entire cost of a solar shingle installation on a home was about $16,000, with a $12,000 tax rebate. This brought the entire cost to only $4000. Not only is that considerably lower than the usual cost involved in installing a home solar power system, but one has to keep in mind that the cost of tiling or shingling a roof is covered at the same time. The solar shingles are, afterall, shingles as well as solar panels.
Clean energy cash incentives and tax rebates are available at a federal level, and most states also have a clean energy or sustainable energy source rebate program. This combined, with energy savings does make solar shingles affordable, and will in most cases pay for itself over time.
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Can u send me d procedure for making solar power generator & d instrument involved
There is a great new book out called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence NOW by Jeff Wilson. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in alternative energy.
@ Sean Thank you for the recommendation.
@ Dabi – I don’t have such a document to send you but I can recommend a couple of very popular eBooks which teach you how to build your own wind and solar power devices:
Build Your Own Solar and Wind Power Generator
Build Your Own Wind and Solar Power System
What else is needed to make these solar shingles work? Where do you find such tax rebates?
Dear Beau,
The Solar shingles themselves are the solar panels, but it will depend on instructions from the manufacturer on how to connect them. The other parts needed are just the standard parts for any solar power system. This would usually consist of an inverter (to convert the power to household power AC 110 volts, solar panels produce DC) and then it would depend whether you want to store power gained during the day for night time use or if you use netmetering for the other parts.
Netmetering is probably the better way to go if possible as you cut out the expenses of a back up power supply or battery storage. Batteries will also have to be replaced every few years so that will be an added expense. Whereas netmetering allows you to sell excess electricity back to the power company and you can still draw power from the net at night or on days where solar power is in short supply.
Here is a link to a database for federal and state level tax incentives for renewable energy sources http://www.dsireusa.org/
Hope that answers your questions let me know if you have more.
Hi Beau.
I’ve just posted a video which should help you get a better idea of how solar shingles function:
http://findportablesolarpower.com/updatesandnews/solar-shingles-demonstration/
There is also some more information at a few earlier posts:
http://findportablesolarpower.com/updatesandnews/solar-shingles/ (video)
http://findportablesolarpower.com/updatesandnews/solar-shingles-installation/
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Thank you, I will definitely keep this in mind for my research.
i would like to no how i would buy your product.914-755-8967
@ Randy – Hi, thanks for your comment and interest. We don’t sell these items ourselves but we can help you find a good source. Please contact us by email at this webpage http://www.findportablesolarpower.com/contact.html , and let me know what you are looking for.
Very cool idea, what country are you in?
Do you think a solar roof would work in England for example?