Those wishing to benefit from rooftop solar energy will no longer have to worry about any panels being stuck on the side of the roof and spoiling the aesthetics. The Solé Power Tile system is the first building-integrated photovoltaic roofing product designed to blend in with curved roof tiles commonly found in the Pacific West and Southwest of the United States.
Each tile is 37.4in wide and 18in long, there's generally a 3in overlap leaving 15in of tile exposed to sunlight. A 30 tile per 100 sq ft installation will weigh 240lbs and generate 860 Kw/h per annum (assuming 5.8 peak sun hours). According to SRS Energy: "triple-junction amorphous silicon thin-film technology incorporated within the Solé Power Tile" is manufactured by United Solar Ovonic and "allows the system to produce an estimated 8-20% more energy than incumbent crystalline silicon panels."
Any power generated by the system which is not used by the building (or stored in batteries if that option is chosen) is fed into the grid. Utility companies then give a credit for the amount of energy generated meaning financial benefits can be enjoyed from day one. Each system is monitored to provide feedback so that checks can be made against any credits made.
Source:gizmag.com |
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Photovoltaic roofing product designed to blend in with curved roof tiles
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