Are Solar Shingles Worth it? 2020
With the rise in popularity of solar energy, people have continually expressed a desire for more options in terms of solar products. Some of the most popular are solar tiles. Solar tiles, sometimes known as photovoltaic tiles, are essentially just solar panels designed to look and function like conventional roofing materials while generating electricity. Solar roof tiles are considered a type of solar energy solution known as Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV).
Solar shingles are worth it, especially for homeowners who need a new roof and want to retain the aesthetics and functionality of the roof. Solar shingles and solar shingles are more durable than regular shingles, so investing in multifunctional roofing can be considered a lifetime investment. Also, solar shingles are best suited for roofs that cannot support a lot of weight.
To make your home environmentally friendly, but also economical, the solar industry has a lot to offer. Alternative materials, higher conversion efficiencies and a diverse range of applications generated solar tiles, solar tiles and solar facades. The solar industry wants to remind us not to waste space and to increase property values.
Types of Solar Roofs
- Solar tiles: multi-layer durable tiles with built-in thin film solar cells, monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon solar cells
- Solar tiles – durable tiles with integrated monocrystalline silicon solar cells
Some types of solar tiles are embedded with existing roof coverings. Still, some types must be part of exactly-match roofing shingles, which are also offered by solar shingle manufacturers, such as Tesla Solar Roof.
Tesla Solar Roof Overview
As mentioned above, solar roof tiles are gaining traction today. And the main reason for this is the Tesla Solar Roof, a product announced by Tesla in October 2016 and first launched in 2018.
Technically, Tesla isn’t the first company to launch a sunroof product. The development of solar tiles and solar tiles has been ongoing for a couple of years. The only reason Tesla is broadening this conversation is because of the company’s groundbreaking innovation, which is the production of a roof-first solar system. In fact, BIPV solutions have been around for some time, but it is still a relatively new concept to have a full sunroof. Hence the popularity of the Tesla sunroof.
Tesla began accepting deposits to reserve solar shingles in May 2017. In January 2018, the company began ramping up its solar shingle products so that by mid-March, they could complete some of the first initial installations for their customers in the top of your waiting list in California. Production of the solar tiles is ongoing and as of 2019 the solar roof is now in its third version. Elon Musk recently announced that he will build 1,000 Tesla sunroofs per week, and everyone knows that nothing is too challenging for Tesla.
Tesla solar shingles are worth it if there is a need to build or renovate an entire roof, which will eventually pay for itself. For homeowners with new roofs, this can be an extremely high initial investment in solar power generation. So integrated solar shingles to fit any roof covering could be a more affordable option.
Homeowners should be aware that Tesla solar tiles mainly cover 35% of the roof, and the remaining 65% of the roof consists of matching Tesla non-solar tiles. Tesla emphasizes the solid structure of its solar tiles, which are 3 times more durable than standard tiles. This bold statement can be decisive if you are looking for a durable roof covering that improves your home budget.
Additionally, Tesla reported that its sunroof is made of quartz and that it is offered in four designs: Tuscan glass tile, slate glass tile, textured glass tile, and smooth glass tile. With these four designs, Tesla will be able to advance both the solar and roofing industries and offer competitive advantages for both.
Solar Shingles Electricity Generation
Since solar tiles are BIPV products, it is understandable that they work like traditional solar panels. In other words, solar tiles use sunlight to generate electricity.
Sunlight hits the only solar with the silicon semiconductor, and this semiconductor will contain the captured energy. After a while, the electrons in the light particles are released and move freely, and these released electrons travel through an electrical circuit to an area where other electrons are stored. This collection of electrons will then be collected to generate a current, which can be used for electrical energy.
How Much Power Do Solar Shingles Produce?
To achieve high yields in a limited roof space with suitable lightweight solar tile solutions, manufacturers had to unify all the features of the solar panel on the roof deck. The challenges they faced were materials, ceiling mount solutions, dimensions, and production. All homeowners are interested in the overall output of the solar roof system, or how much energy do solar shingles produce? As shown in the table above, a solar roof tile cover can produce from 50 Watts to 114 Watts.
Another important thing that homeowners should pay attention to is the sides of the roof. The best side of the roof for solar shingle installation is the true South of the US Even if the roof faces southwest and southeast, solar roof shingles can be a great decision for your future. The north sides of the roof should be covered with matching common shingles as you will not be able to achieve optimal efficiency.
Solar Shingles Maintenance
Since solar roof tiles look like traditional roof tiles, they will be much easier to maintain. Sure, you still have to keep an eye out for snowfall and leaves, but you don’t need specialized equipment to clean the shingles. A garden hose is sufficient equipment to be used. Solar shingles are typically lightweight, but they can withstand large frontal loads, gusts of wind, and hail.
Solar roof tiles do not require a lot of maintenance on your part. Some would even say that even without maintenance, solar shingles can last between 25 and 30 years.
How Much Does a Tesla Solar Roof Cost Compared to Regular Roofing Materials?
A diferencia de los paneles solares, las tejas solares tienen un doble propĂłsito: funcionar como paneles solares y como techo. Como resultado, puede esperar que las tejas solares sean caras.
Para ser más especĂfico, Tesla ha afirmado que su techo costará 21,85 dĂłlares por pie cuadrado. Esto significarĂa entonces que para una casa que necesita 2,000 pies cuadrados de techo, el costo total de un techo solar Tesla serĂa de aproximadamente $ 44,000 para las tejas solares Tesla y las tejas no solares Tesla. Este precio se reduce despuĂ©s de los incentivos fiscales.
Mientras tanto, los materiales para techos convencionales generalmente cuestan alrededor de $ 3.50 a $ 5.50 por pie cuadrado. La mayorĂa de los propietarios gastarĂan entre $ 6,000 y $ 10,000 para instalar un techo con materiales convencionales para techos. En pocas palabras, como puede ver, las tejas no solares de Tesla cuestan mucho más que los materiales para techos tradicionales. Por suerte, varios fabricantes han ofrecido al mercado tejas solares que encajan en el techo existente.
Alternatives to the Tesla Solar Roof
Considering that the Tesla sunroof isn’t exactly cheap, some people want to know if there are alternatives. Fortunately, there are many alternatives, and here is a list of the most popular:
- CertainTeed Apollo II. Unlike the Tesla sunroof, CertainTeed Apollo II does not use glass grids or hydrographic
printing, so it is not as attractive as the sunroof. However, Apollo mosaics are still undeniably more attractive than a standard solar module. CertainTeed Apollo II costs around $ 4.82 per watt. - Luma Solar Roof. Like Tesla, Lumo Solar Roof is a complete solar roof replacement product that includes both solar and non-solar cell components. This product costs about $ 4 per watt.
- SunTegra tiles and tiles. The SunTegra shingle can be mounted on top of existing asphalt shingles, while your shingle is placed as a replacement for concrete shingle products. Both use monocrystalline cells and have a maximum power of 70-110 watts. The price range starts from $ 3.80 per watt to $ 4.25.
- Exasun X-Tile and X-Roof. The X-Roof product is a complete roof replacement, while the X-Tile resembles a terracotta tile.
- Forward. The Forward intends their line to be a whole-roof replacement product that includes PV and non-PV components. They have two styles in development: Metal, which resembles a steel roof, and Tile, which resembles terracotta.
- Hanergy HanTile. Hanergy HanTile mimics a dark terracotta roof tile and integrates thin film PV.
Can Solar Incentives and Tax Credits Be Applied to Solar Roof Tiles?
Yes, solar shingles and solar roof shingles qualify for solar tax credits and incentives. The US federal government offers a 26% tax credit for homeowners in 2020 and a 22% tax credit in 2021. Additionally, states and local jurisdictions even offer additional incentives.
The Future Is Bright for Solar Roof Tiles
Our world is in dire need of solar solutions to combat the energy problems we are currently facing. And while solar panels and other solar systems are great, they are sometimes not the most practical, especially in terms of the space required for installation. This is why more people would like to have products that are already photovoltaic integrated in buildings because they solve multiple problems at the same time. And a perfect example of a BIPV product is the solar tile.
Additionally, solar shingles save time and money in the long run by requiring only a single installation kit and a single product for roofing and solar energy production. They also don’t need as much maintenance.
Additionally, solar shingles can produce as much energy as conventional roof-mounted solar energy, making them highly efficient. And most importantly, prices for solar installations continue to fall, so homeowners will become more used to owning PV systems rather than using third-party financing. As a result, differentiated solar products, such as solar roof tiles, will increase market share.
Although the roof has its own characteristic to keep your home as a cozy and safe place for your family; Solar power manufacturers added a new feature to it: electricity generation. Solar roof tile companies continually improve their products to make them cheaper and more affordable, so we can expect to see more beautiful and stylish roof coverings that can also harvest energy directly from the sun, for decades.
