Solar Tiles for your Solar Panel Home

Why have solar tiles instead of the standard photovoltaic solar panels? Well, if you want to fit solar panels to your home, but you or your partner were been put off by their look and size, then solar roof tiles could be just what you are looking for.

What are Solar Tiles?

Solar tiles or solar shingles look very similar to normal roof tiles and are used the same way as normal roof tiles. Solar tiles come in different colours and profiles and once installed look very much like normal roof tiles or slates. But each solar tile has a top layer of photovoltaic (PV) material that turns sunlight into electricity. Solar roof tiles are also referred to as building integrated photovoltaics, also known as BPV or BIPV. BPVs are used as substitutes for traditional building materials such as skylights, facades or roof tiles.

Solar tiles can be installed on the roof of most homes and can be easily connected to the building’s electricity supply. Each tile has a plug-in connector and they are simply wired together during the installation process.

Why use Solar Tiles

Electric solar panels sit on top of your existing roof. Although their appearance is improving, they are nevertheless bulky; they stand out and tend to impair the appearance of most houses. The beauty of solar tiles is that they are designed to be integrated with your standard roof tiles or roof slates, so they blend in. Quite simply, they go unnoticed or actually add to the appearance of the roof.

Solar roof tiles are especially beneficial if you are extending your home. In these circumstances the solar tiles can be integrated into the new roof as part of the standard build process. Or if you need to re-tile all or part of your existing roof, solar roof tiles can incorporated into your new roof alongside standard roof tiles.

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, your CO2 reduction would be 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 realtor. .

Also, many countries are currently offering financial incentives, in the form of rebates or grants, to encourage folk to install solar power in their homes. These grants can be quite substantial. In many US states the rebates offered should enable the cost of a typical solar tile system to pay for itself in 12 - 18 years.

Not all Solar Tiles are the Same

Some solar roof tiles make use of thin film PV material, which is not as efficient as the material used in standard solar panels. But this is not really an issue. It just means that you will need more of these types of solar tiles to generate sufficient solar electricity to meet your energy requirements.

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 they work effectively on my house? The answer is Yes! Solar tiles have been developed for these cooler climates and do not require direct sunlight to work. These solar tiles only require daylight to work, and will even produce electricity on cloudy days.

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. For more information on renewable solar energy for your home visit http://www.solar-panel-home.net