Solar Shingles: New Solar Technology for Your Home

Imagine a working solar energy system incorporated into your roof without bulky structures or heavy equipment. Due to thin film technology, consumers can now purchase shingles that have solar panel capability built in. Solar shingles look no different than asphalt shingles. They are equal in size, shape and finish. But unlike asphalt shingles, they can convert sunlight into electricity for use in your home.

Covered with solar cells, solar shingles have the same collection capacity as a large panel array. However, thin-film technology allows them to have all the energy collecting power they need in a small amount of surface area, which makes them less conspicuous and more aesthetically pleasing for your home. For environmentally conscious homeowners, solar shingles sound too good to be true. But as with any investment, research is prudent so that you know everything you need to know before you buy. Read further to learn more about this technology.

The first great advantage of solar shingles is they are easy to get approved. If your community has a homeowner’s association, they might have restrictions against large rooftop structures or solar panel arrays on the roof or in the backyard. Solar shingles require no large obstructions. Even if you have to get approval for solar shingles, it should be as easy to convince neighbors or board members to approve them as it is to approve asphalt shingles.

Another big advantage of solar shingle systems is that they have the flexibility to be off grid and self-contained, or work with the local utility system. Thin film solar technology works similar to large panel systems. Light from the sun is captured in photovoltaic (PV) cells and then converted to energy. But the manufacturing process for solar shingles is much faster and efficient, and new advances in solar technology make it possible to greatly reduce the size of solar cells while still producing the same quantity of energy. With enough solar shingles, you could produce enough energy to live “off-grid” from the utility company, provided that you have battery backup for night time and inclement weather. Or you can have enough to produce energy as a supplement to what you receive from the electric company, greatly reducing usage and energy bills.

Solar shingles are attractive and unobtrusive, easily blending in with the exterior of homes and businesses. Similar to traditional shingles, they are made to last twenty years are more, and can be replaced just as you would their asphalt counterparts. Besides being built to last, they are manufactured to be durable even in harsh weather conditions such as high winds or hail.

There are so many advantages to solar shingles, there will soon be a large demand and greater availability. But for the time being, solar shingles are still newer to the market. It may require some research to locate a local supplier. It will also be necessary to find an installer familiar with solar shingles. The most effective way to research would be to look for solar shingle suppliers or manufacturers online. Once you find that, you should be able to get a referral to a local professional. And you will soon be able to put the latest in solar energy technology to work for you.