Solar Tiles blending with existing roof tiles

If you want to help the planet by installing electric solar panels, but really don’t like the idea of large PV solar panels being mounted on the roof of your lovely home, solar tiles or solar roof tiles could be the solution you have been looking for.  Solar tiles really are a viable alternative to standard electric solar panels and definitely warrant your consideration if you are going to create your own solarpanel home.

With the increasing interest in solar energy solutions for the home, new technologies have been developed that provide the normal benefits of electric solar panels but are much better looking when installed on your home.   Please note: solar tiles are for pitched roofs and not suitable for flat roofs.  If your house has a flat roof and you want to install solar energy, your options are pretty much limited to setting out arrays of electric solar panels on your roof.  However, if you have a pitched roof, now have a choice of standard electric solar panels and solar tiles for your solar panel home.   It should also be noted that solar tiles tend to cost more than standard solar tiles and installign them will require that part of the roof has to be re-tiled, additng to the expense of installation.

Therefore, if you are not that concerned about the appearance of solar panels or more concerned with keeping costs down, standard electric solar panels will do the job.  We found some very competitively priced solar panels on Amazon where they are selling a number of solar panels at around $4 per watt.

What are Solar Tiles/Solar Roof Tiles?

Solar Tiles or Solar Roof Tiles operate on the same principle as standard electric solar panels or solar Photovoltaic panels.  The advantage of solar tiles is that they are manufactured to the same modular size as normal roof tiles and are easily integrated into a new roof at the time of construction or into an existing roof when the roof covering is replaced.  Solar roof tiles look very similar to normal roof tiles or roof slates and are used in the same way as normal roof tiles.  Solar roof tiles come in a variety of styles, colours and sizes. A common and affordable solar tile is manufactured to look like traditional asphalt shingles.  Solar tiles are aesthetically a major improvement over conventional roof-mounted PV panels.  Recent developments have produced solar roof tiles that just blend in with the rest of the roof and are virtually unnoticeable.  Solar tiles are a very attractive option for those who want to have a solar panel home but don’t like the appearance of large PV panels mounted on their roof.

Solar Roof Tiles

How Solar Tiles Work

Although solar tiles generally look vary much like normal roof tiles or slates, each solar roof tile has a top layer of photovoltaic (PV) material that turns sunlight into electricity.  Solar roof tiles are known as BIPVs (building-integrated photovoltaics) because they integrate solar power generation into the design of the building so that it is still aesthetically pleasing.  BPIVs are used as substitutes for traditional building materials such as skylights, facades and roof tiles.   Solar tiles can be installed on the roofs of most homes.  Each tile has a plug-in connector and they are simply wired together during the installation process.  As with standard electric solar panels, solar roof tiles can be connected to the electricity grid and excess energy can be sold to the utility company.

Why use Solar Tiles?

The main reason for using solar tiles is their appearance.  Electric solar panels sit on top of your existing roof.  Although attempts are being made to improve their appearance, they are quite noticeable and detract from the appearance of the home.  The beauty of solar tiles is that they are designed to be integrated with your standard shingles, roof tiles or roof slates, so they blend in.  Quite simply, they go unnoticed or actually add to the appearance of your roof.  The use of solar roof tiles is especially attractive if you are extending your home or having your roof replaced.  In these circumstances the solar tiles can be integrated into the new or replacement roof as part of the standard build process.

Do Solar Tiles Make Financial Sense?

Roof with PV Panels and Thermal Solar Panels in Garden

Yes.  Like PV solar panels, solar tiles are a green renewable energy product and many governments are providing grants and rebates to encourage each of us to have our own solar panel home.  The actual return on investment for solar tiles will depend on where you live, how much of a grant you receive from the government and how much you are paying for your electricity.  As a very general rule of thumb, expect a solar tile system to pay for itself in 10 – 18 years.  For more information on costs and payback, have a look at the article on Solar Panel Cost and Payback. Solar tiles are usually guaranteed to work for 20 to 25 years.  However, most manufacturers expect them to continue working for 40 or 50 years.   Also, keep in mind that electricity prices have been rising rapidly for the last couple of years.  If this trend continues, solar tiles and PV panels will pay for themselves in a much shorter time period than that shown above.

Advantages of Renewable Solar Energy

As with standard electric solar panels, solar roof tiles do not generate heat, they work silently and produce no harmful emissions or greenhouse gases.  They are a truly green renewable energy product.  Not only will solar tiles reduce your electricity bill, but you will also reduce your output of CO2.  The actual amount of CO2 reduction will depend on how much electricity you save.  To give you an indication, if you save around 1800 kWh per annum, the amount of CO2 that you produce will reduce by approximately 1000kg per year. The other advantage to installing solar tiles is the potential increase in the value of your home.  While some people might be put off by the appearance of a house with large PV solar panels mounted on the roof, solar tiles are very unobtrusive and should be seen as a definite asset to your home.  To get an indication of how much solar tiles will add to the value to your home it is advisable to contact your local estate agent.

Not all Solar Tiles are the Same

Some solar roof tiles make use of thin film PV material.  This material is flexible and allows the manufacturer to produce tiles with a curved profile.  Thin film solar tiles are not as efficient as the material used in standard solar panels, but this is not really an issue.  If you use the thin film solar tiles you will just need to install more of these tiles to generate sufficient solar electricity to meet your energy requirements.

Solar Electric Roof Slates being installed on the roof of a new build

Recently, a new solar tile has been developed – the solar electric roof slate.  Each solar electric roof slate is a two piece solar photovoltaic assembly with a solar module and a glass laminate cover. Each module is supplied with electrical connectors which link it to adjacent modules. These solar roof slates incorporate one of the best PV materials: they 21% efficient, delivering approximately 30% more energy from the same tile area than most standard solar panels.  This means these solar slates require less than 10sq m per kWp (kilowatt peak).  This makes them very suitable for homes with a limited roof area or homes with less sunny climates (see below).

What About Cooler Climates such as the UK?

One of the major concerns for those living in more northerly latitudes such as the United Kingdom or the northern states in the US, is will solar tiles work effectively?  The answer is Yes!  A company called Solarcentury has developed solar roof tiles and solar electric roof slates for these cooler climates.  Their solar tiles and slates do not require direct sunlight to work, they only require daylight and will even produce electricity on cloudy days.

Solar Thermal Tile

Another very recent development is the solar thermal tile.  This is used in the same way as solar tiles described above and looks very much like them.  However, the key difference is that while solar roof tiles are used to generate electricity using PV technology, these solar thermal tiles are designed to heat water for washing and bathing.

Conclusion

If you want to build your own solar panel home but are concerned about the appearance of PV panels on your roof, then solar tiles should address these concerns and warrant serious consideration.

Solar Roof Tiles

Technorati Tags: electric solar panels, solar roof tiles, solar tiles

solar panels uses cells or panels to absorb the sun’s energy. That energy is then used to create electricity. how does this compare to light dependent reactions of photosynthesis?

Solar panels use the Sun’s energy to create electrical energy, which people use to power their homes and other devices. Plants use the Sun’s energy to create chemical energy, which they store and use to stay alive and grow. When a person or animal eats the plant and digests it, they get the chemical energy and use it to stay alive and grow.

That’s overly simplified, but it’s basically it, I think.

Cheers!

Use the shiney metal to reflect light like a mirror.

I would like to know of any construction companies, road crews, or any company that uses solar panels in the Tampa area and throws them away. I like to recycle solar panels by repairing and processing what power I can from them. Know any companies that throw out used solar panels? If so, can you provide the name and number?

Used solar panels are usually a great bargain. Unless there is obvious major damage, you are most likely making a very safe and thrifty purchase–and if you can test the panels with a multimeter in full sunlight before purchase, you are almost guaranteed a functional panel. Nobody really knows what the lifespan of a solar panel is, since many of the very first panels are still in operation. I have three very old Arcos on my house, and they are still performing well. However, used panel prices have

And I’m not talking about your landscaping lights.

It’s not a good idea yet as the cost doesn’t equal the savings.

-there is alot more to it than simply buying a panel(S) and plugging in. Same with wind power.

My electric bill ranges from $80 in the summer to $120 in the winter.

This 6kw system costs $20k (http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=6KW+WHOLE+HOUSE+SYSTEM+SOLAR+PANELS+OUTBACK+INVERTER). My electric bill for the year is @ $1200. IT WOULD TAKE 20 YEARS FOR IT TO PAY FOR ITSELF……………..if it lasts that long.

what are the main minerals that are used in making solar panels. and where in the world are those minrelas usually found

Heating panels have aluminum for the frame, glass for the top, copper pipes running through them, and possibly some plastic parts. The raw materials are easily obtained. Copper is the most difficult to get probably, but it’s not all that rare, since we used to make pennies out of it.

A solar electric panel is similar, with the copper used for wires and interconnect instead of pipes. The actual solar cells commonly used are almost completely pure silicon, which is abundant worldwide. There are traces of other elements in the silicon like boron, arsenic or phosphorous – these are also inexpensive, and easy to get.

Would the mass reflection cause the sun to burn out quicker or will it just reflect the light not the heat. Could the solar panels reflect or absorb enough of the suns heat to reduce the earths temperature? The earth was never designed to be a big mirror but then the sea reflects alot of light also.

I was just pondering and interested if anyone has any scientific opinions on this, thanks

The Earth already reflects 37% of the light (including heat) that it receives from the Sun. At our distance from the Sun, the flux of energy carried by the light is 1370 Watts per square metre.

Even if we covered the entire Earth with solar panels and we aimed all of them to be perpendicular to the sun’s light, we would intercept a total of

63% of Earth’s cross section area * 1370 W/m^2
= 110 000 000 000 000 000 Watts
(I have rounded off the answer, if you don’t mind)

The idea of a solar panel is to produce energy by taking it out of the sunlight. Therefore, it CANNOT reflect all the light it gets (if it did, it would produce no energy).

Therefore, solar panels are designed to reflect the minimum amount that they can (beased on the materials that make them up).
But, let us be generous and allow that they reflect 30% of the light they receive, directly back in the direction it came from (in reality, it is less than that).

That is 33 000 000 000 000 000 Watts of energy (light and heat) being sent back towards the Sun.

Let’s continue in our generosity: none of this gets absorbed by our atmosphere as it goes back, none of it gets dispersed on the way back, and ALL of it falls back on the Sun’s surface.

The side of the Sun facing us (half the whole Sun) is contantly emitting energy (including light and heat) at a rate of
192 500 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 Watts.

The difference may not look that big (only a bunch of zeros), but each zero is a factor of ten.

If you divide what we would send back (33 followed by 15 zeros) by what the Sun already produces (385 followed by 24 zeros), the ratio is

1 / 12,000,000,000

This means that our action would heat up this side of the Sun (compared to the other side of the Sun) by a factor of
1 / 6,000,000,000

This would make this side hotter by less than one degree.

And this assumes that we would cover the whole Earth with solar panels AND we would steer them so that they always reflect directly towards the Sun (which is probably very difficult to do – if you miss by half a degree, you miss the Sun completely)

—

The sea reflects a lot of light, but most of it goes off in all directions. Very little of it goes back directly towards the Sun.

We are soon having solar panels installed. As we will then need to use as much electricity as possible and we have gas central heating, is it possible to have a system linked up to create hot water during the day instead of the gas boiler firing up every time we turn the hot tap on? Any ideas on cost would be an advantage too please.

It is a good decision. If I were you I would prefer the vacuum tube solar collector which is very efficient although it is about 20% more expensive but in no time you will recover the additional cost. I have one and I have never needed to use the electrical backup even with three or four overcast days. Even with no sunlight they will obtain heat from the infrared waves of the light. I live in the tropics but it will be even more useful for those living in th e temperate zone.

I’m very interested in putting solar panels on my roof or in my windows because of all the sunlight i get. Where can I find information on how I can actually hook things up to use solar panels for real electricity from start to finsih?

Thanks!

http://www.thesolarguide.com/solar-power-uses/cost-faq.aspx

this site should give you all the information that you need to learn about solar panels

http://www.makeenergynow.com/how-to-install-solar-panels/

this site is great for many of DIY environmentally sustainable projects

I noticed the price of solar panels has really dropped. I would like to use them to charge my cellphone and laptop. I know that I would need an inverter, but I am curious do I need to use a battery that the solar panels charge and then use that power to charge my laptop and phone, or do the solar panels go directly into my devices (after the inverter). Because if I need to charge a battery first I would think that when it needs to be replaced, the cost of it would be more than just paying for regular electricity. Thanks.

C.C. Crane Company of Fortuna, CA. might have a suggestion to help you do this at home. They specialize in crank and solar powered electronics…a bit pricey, but it might pay for itself:

cccranecompany.com or just call them…

good luck