What Is a Solar Shingle?

Like solar panels, solar roofing is designed to capture the energy from the sun that is shining on your roof and turn that energy into a usable power source for your home. Though different types of solar roofing products are available, they are all essentially mini solar panels designed to look like and function as conventional roofing materials. The main market driver of solar roofing products was consumer demand for solar panels that were less noticeable and conspicuous. Though some people appreciate the "futuristic" look of a roof clad in solar panels, others lament the loss of traditional roofing appearance. Solar roofing, then, is made to resemble asphalt shingles or slate tiles while also producing electricity. All of the different types of solar roofing are known as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).

How Do Solar Shingles Work?

Solar shingles are a widely produced option in the solar roofing industry. Companies like Tesla, SunTegra, and CertainTeed, have developed solar roofing products based on integrated solar panels that mimic the size and shape of typical asphalt shingles or roof tiles. These solar shingles blend into the roof's look better than traditional solar panels. In addition, they don't require extra shingles or other types of roofing materials underneath them.

Some companies produce separate, shingle-sized solid panels that resemble individual shingles. Other companies are developing semi-rigid designs containing several silicon solar cells sized more like conventional shingles. The newest systems rely on thin-film solar cell technologies that match traditional shingles both in size and flexibility. Homeowners can also find larger solar roofing panels that are sized more like regular solar panels. However, at the same time, they act as an autonomous roofing solution. Integra, for example, has a building-integrated photovoltaic panel that produces 100 watts DC rating per shingle.

What Types of Solar Roofing Are There?

The development of solar shingles was met with excitement by many homeowners. Besides the improved aesthetics of solar shingles, many homeowners thought that solar shingles might reduce the cost of residential solar installation by absorbing the cost of the roof itself. Across the United States, the average cost for a roof replacement is $8,300. Thus, one of the enticements with solar shingles was that these renewable energy-producing panels could also eliminate the costs of purchasing and installing a new roof. Consumer enthusiasm for solar shingles ultimately led to the development of other types of solar roofing alternatives, including:

• Integrated Solar Metal Roofing, and
• Interlocking Solar Panel Roofing

What Is Integrated Solar Metal Roofing?

Forward Solar Roofing, a San Francisco, USA company, has developed solar metal roofing that looks like regular metal roofing and comes in various colors. Their multi-layer system includes a glass coating, color coating, and a layer of monocrystalline solar photovoltaic cells. The wiring and attachment systems are hidden underneath the metal for a clean look. Several other layers include durable tempered glass, optical chromatic cloaking, silicon solar cells, and galvanized metal panels, all on top of a vented racking system.  

The average cost for installing this roof is around $12.75 per square foot, towards the high end of average prices for standard metal roof installation. However, it is also significantly less than a Tesla solar shingle roof. 

Suppose you are building new or need a roof replacement. In that case, this investment could be paid off in very little time due to energy savings, not to mention tax incentives or rebates that may be offered in your area. Forward Solar Roofing guarantees its solar metal roof for 30 years and has a 2-3 day installation time.

How Much Energy Can Solar Shingles Collect?

The exact amount of energy produced by solar shingles will depend on their size. On average, however, each solar shingle should produce between 13 and 63 watts of energy in optimal conditions depending on the brand of solar roof shingles. On the downside, solar shingles are still lagging significantly behind regular solar panels regarding efficiency. According to research done by Energy Sage, "typical solar shingle brands range from 14 to 18 percent efficiency, whereas most solar panels are 22 to 23 percent efficient." Because solar shingles will most likely cover your entire roof, the lower efficiency will not necessarily impact the overall solar energy output.