Solar Shingles

With the rapid advancement of solar power, new products are entering the market containing “integrated solar panels”.

For example, solar shingles. Essentially, these are ordinary roof shingles which are made out of photovoltaic materials. They perform the same function as ordinary roof shingles, with the added capability of producing electricity.

The advantage of these thin “solar panels” is that they 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 desirable from an aesthetic standpoint, this also eliminates the need for bulky and heavy “traditional solar panels” to be installed.

How are Solar Shingles Made?

Advancements 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. They can in fact be printed on just about any type of material – such as metal, plastic, and others. Researchers have even found methods of producing organic photovoltaics, although that is, at the moment, still in an entirely experimental phase.

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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

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 installing a comparable set of conventional solar panels. In one recent example, the entire cost of a home solar shingle installation was approximately ,000, with a ,000 tax rebate. This brought the entire cost to only 00. That’s considerably lower than the usual cost involved in installing a home solar power system – but one has to keep in mind as well that the cost of tiling or shingling a roof is covered at the same time. These are, after all, 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 them affordable, and will in most cases pay for itself over time.

Solar Shingles

Article by solarhomes

Did you know that solar shingles looking like real asphalt shingles are now available in the market? Yes, they look exactly like your asphalt shingles having the same size and the same matte finish! The only difference is that they are actually covered with very thin films of solar cells which collect sunlight and give you the renewable source of energy you need. Cool, right?

The think film technology of these solar shingles is a great innovation because aside from looking like your usual shingles, they will not require you to set up a huge structure on your roof just to support the solar panels. What a great way to amass the same amount of sun energy without having to be visually intrusive! Why would you want a large array of panels on your roof telling everyone you are using solar energy when you can simply be discreet and content about it? Besides, having large panels are not the nicest sight in the neighborhood.

There are homeowner associations which prohibit building solar panel arrays on a back yard or a rooftop. If yours is one of them, solar shingles are definitely perfect for you. Now, if they are open to negotiations, don’t you think it would be easier to convince them that you are setting up these sunlight-collecting shingles instead of huge panels? And even if your homeowner association allows you to set up huge solar energy structures, don’t you think solar shingles are way cooler? They look like your normal roof and won’t have to eat up any space at the backyard.

Basically, these shingles work just like the large solar panel systems. They catch sunlight by photovoltaic cells and convert it into energy which you can then use at home. The only difference is that the materials used in creating these shingles are smaller. The advancements in solar technology have allowed size reduction of cells without having to affect the amount of energy that the solar panel system produces. The shingle-looking cells can make the same quantity of energy as their large counterparts. They can also be used off-grid or otherwise. If you want them to be self-contained, they can be utilized off-grid. If you want them to be tied to the grid, they can also work as such.

Aside from the utter visual appeal and compactness, another great thing about these solar shingles is they are replaceable just as easy as ordinary shingles. These devices are expected to last for more than two decades (depending on their makers) and are created to withstand the harshest of weather including hails. However, when they need some replacement, they can be replaced just like your conventional shingles.

Now, although solar shingles sounds all good and fascinating, you must do your own research about them too. You also should check on nearest suppliers as well as find a reliable installer who knows the product well. Finding manufacturers and suppliers for these sun shingles online would be a good place to start because they can give information about the available products and services in your area.

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