Like peanut butter and jelly or salt and pepper, solar and roofing go hand-in-hand. Solar energy is booming and roofers are perfectly positioned to offer solar PV installations alongside their traditional services.
However, entering the solar market requires significant investment and expertise on both sides of the business. One solution is to partner with established PV companies, allowing roofers to offer bundled services and more efficient project timelines.
Solar Shingles
Solar shingles have photovoltaic solar cells built into their design and work like traditional roof tiles or shingles, but they provide an integrated energy generation solution. They are often called Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV).
Solar energy is captured by the shingles and converted to electricity in an inverter. From there, it can be used directly by your home or fed into the power grid. A professional installer will help you conduct a roof analysis to determine how many solar shingles you’ll need for your energy consumption.
Multiple manufacturers offer solar shingles. Some, such as GAF’s DecoTech, look very different from the rest of your roof, making them stand out as separate from your other roofing materials. Other companies, such as CertainTeed, offer a system that looks more uniform and can be installed on asphalt or tile roofs.
Solar shingles require very little maintenance. Seasonal rains should wash away any dirt or debris, and the shingles are designed to protect your home’s roof and underlying structures. Some manufacturers also offer a wind or weatherization warranty to cover your roof from damage caused by strong winds.
Solar Panels
Solar panels are made of silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells that convert sunlight into electricity. When the sun shines on these cells, it energizes them by knocking electrons loose from their atoms. This creates a current of electricity that can be used to power your home or sent back into the grid. Solar panel efficiency is gradually increasing. The more efficient a panel, the more it can produce for the same size and price.
Most residential rooftop solar systems use solar shingles that integrate into traditional asphalt shingles to reduce visual impact. Some also feature a tempered glass surface that resembles high-end materials such as slate or ceramic. These types of solar roofs are often used for luxury homes and historic buildings where maintaining aesthetics is important.
The solar shingles are held together by a metal frame that latches onto mounting clamps on your roof. They are layered with a glass sheet that filters the sunshine into the solar cells. The solar cells are made of silicon wafers, which contain phosphorus and boron to create an electric charge. The solar cells are linked with metal connectors and soldered together to form a solar module.
Solar modules are then connected in series to achieve the desired output voltage and in parallel to increase the current capability. The modules are then wired to a solar inverter, which converts the direct current (DC) energy into alternating current (AC) power for your appliances.
Grid-Tied
A grid-tied system links solar panels to the public electricity grid. It works by absorbing sunlight, transforming it into DC energy, and channeling it through a specialized inverter. This inverter converts the DC power into AC power for direct usage by household appliances. Any excess power is fed back into the grid, which credits your utility account via net metering. This process helps reduce your electricity bill and improves the overall energy efficiency of the grid.
Grid-tied systems offer a great balance of cost efficiency and energy reliability. They also support green initiatives and sustainable home energy management by lowering carbon footprints and decreasing dependence on fossil fuel-based power. In addition to enabling a smoother, more robust transition into renewable energy, these systems can seamlessly integrate into smart home ecosystems for enhanced monitoring and management.
Solar panels produce their peak output during sunny days, but they still work in overcast conditions. Any energy that isn’t used right away is sent into the grid, resulting in a meter that spins backward. This creates a credit for the homeowner that can be applied to future bills or even paid by the electric company at the end of the year.
However, if the grid goes down, your system will shut down. This is a necessary precaution for the safety of utility workers who are repairing downed power lines. If you want to continue producing electricity in the event of a power outage, you can add battery backup to your grid-tied system.
Hybrid
Hybrid systems use multiple technologies to generate and store electricity. They are often designed to provide energy at optimal times and reduce electricity costs during peak demand periods. They can also be used to increase the reliability of energy supplies. For example, a wind solar hybrid system can be used to power homes or businesses during outages caused by storms and other natural disasters.
The term hybrid is also used to describe animals and plants that are crossed between two different breeds, varieties, species or genera. The word hybrid is also a synonym for mongrel, an adjective that refers to a mixed breed of animal or plant that has not been bred for any particular purpose.
For example, a hybrid car gets better city fuel economy than a regular gasoline-powered car. It can also be a good choice for people who live in urban areas and cannot afford an electric vehicle.
In the field of renewable energy, a PV-wind-diesel hybrid system was built in Point Hick lighthouse, which is now converted to a resort on Kythnos island in Southeast Victoria, Australia (UNEP, 2003). The system meets the electricity demands of the manager’s office and tourist cottages using a combination of a 550 W wind turbine, a 100-kW PV array, and a diesel generator. Regular maintenance is required to prevent breakdowns and keep the equipment functioning properly.