Solar Shingles Are Efficient, Cheaper Than Panel Roofs, But Blend In Better
By Ell Ko, 05 Jan 2022
Solar panels are the most common method of harnessing the renewable energy source, but a further development has brought about the solar shingle. It generates the same energy as a panel would, but blends in with regular roofs a lot better than a flat panel might.
Despite these benefits, a large drawback has been its cost: It’s often expensive to make and install, and previous iterations haven’t quite hit the same efficiency standards as the regular solar panel. But this might be changing pretty soon.
GAF Energy, a branch of roofing manufacturers GAF, has revealed the ‘Timberline Solar’, which “protects like a roof, installs like a roof—and produces clean energy.”
Since it can be nailed to the roof like a regular shingle, installation costs are significantly reduced. A height of 17 and a length of 64 inches ensures plenty of exposure to the sun, but also means that there are fewer parts to manufacture and less wiring to handle.
Apart from being easier to use, it also reduces costs, which had hindered the product from breaking into the mainstream despite its innovation a few years ago.
“We’re part of the world’s largest roofing manufacturer. We have access to materials that typical solar companies don’t have access to,” Martin DeBono, President of GAF Energy, tells CNBC. He also states that it “goes on twice as fast as typical solar.”
In a separate interview with the Washington Post, DeBono demonstrates what a Timberline Solar shingle would cost, using his own home as an example. It would take around US$28,000 to build a traditional roof, and regular solar panels priced at US$24,000 would bring that amount up to US$52,000, though rebates could nudge it down to about US$44,000.
But a GAF Energy roof would cost around US$42,000 in total, which could have the potential to drop down to US$30,000 after incentives. This is roughly US$14,000 saved.
CleanTechnica reports that the shingles are being manufactured locally in California, at a factory with an annual capacity of 50 megawatts. On the assumption that each can generate about 6 kW of electricity, this will be sufficient for more than 8,000 homes.
However, DeBono says this is just GAF Energy’s first manufacturing facility, with plans in place for more to come.
[via CNBC and CleanTechnica, images via GAF Energy]