Solar Panel Shingles
If you’re building a new home or if you are replacing the roof on
your house you might want to consider using solar panel shingles for
your roof. Solar panel shingles are cutting edge technology that
only recently hit the consumer market.
Solar panel shingles are the same size as traditional asphalt
shingles but they are actually small PV solar cells. They fit
together like traditional roof shingles. You can also use a
combination of solar panel shingles and traditional shingles if you
can’t afford to do your entire roof in solar panel shingles although
you won’t get a very high return electricity rate if you use just a
few solar panel shingles.
Solar panel shingles are weather resistant and function just like
normal shingles except that they also can provide clean,
environmentally safe and free solar energy to power and heat your
home. Using an entire rooftop of solar panel shingles is usually
more than enough energy to power your home except for some
exceptionally large appliances like a washer and dryer.
Solar panel shingles aren’t cheap, but they can help you save money
on energy costs over time. Here are some of the other benefits of
using solar panel shingles to power your home:
• Solar shingles are easy to integrate with existing roof structures
and shingles.
• Solar shingles fit into any design style.
• Solar shingles can decrease your electricity bill significantly,
sometime by more than half.
• Solar shingles are environmentally friendly.
• There are lots of state and Federal Green Building financial
incentives to use solar shingles.
• Solar shingles will increase the resale value of your home.
• Solar shingles are a smart long term investment in your home equity.
• Solar shingles are easy to install.
• Solar shingles have at least a 20-year output meaning you won’t have to roof
your home again for probably 20 years.
Related content:
A report by DailyTech states that at present, both parties are working to
commercialise the technology. It is thought that the cells could be used to
replace traditional panels in solar windows, solar shingles or other solar
installations.
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The best efficiencies in available high-end monocrystalline silicon panels
are about 19 percent, according to Sheppard. Look for thin-film technologies
in BIPV (built-in photovoltaic) systems like roofing shingles. This year Dow
Chemical will introduce its Powerhouse Solar roofing shingles, with the
solar panels provided by Global Solar. The flexible CIGS panels are built
right into asphalt shingles.
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Pinhero believes that such 90-95% efficient solar panels could be built and
offered to be manufactured into products such as roof shingles or
automobiles. The scientist is now looking for funding to develop and mature
the technology.
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