Energy generated from solar roof shingles can provide electricity to residential houses as well as commercial buildings. Power can either be consumed right away or be channeled back to the power grid.

There are a few configurations you can implement with solar roof shingles. You may build an off-grid system, an intertie (grid-tied) system or have a hybrid design. Implementing an intertie system will save you the most money. These setups require the least resources and require minimal maintenance.

With off-grid and hybrid systems, you have to buy several batteries and a charge controller. These components cost a lot and you have to schedule regular preventive maintenance to keep it performing at an optimum level.

The electrical system for installing solar roof shingles is similar to traditional solar panel setups. The only difference for solar roof shingles is how the PV panels themselves are connected.

Many solar shingles measure 12 x 86 inches and can be mounted directly on the roofing. After installation, they have an approximate area of 5 x 86 inches exposed to the sun. Different solar roof shingles require different mounting requirements. Some can be intermixed with normal asphalt shingles while others require special procedures to do so.

Old solar shingle models are more expensive to install. However those panels could be cheaper as manufacturers may want to move their inventory to accommodate new models.

Even though solar roof shingles are more expensive than conventional PV panels (in terms of dollars per watt), there are several advantages you can enjoy. These include:

• Visual appeal

Roof solar shingles are visually appealing and blend in with standard roof shingles. Therefore they can preserve the aesthetics of a home.

• No need for additional materials during installation

Each solar roof shingle replaces the roofing material and provides protection for the home. This is because they are as tough and can be as durable as asphalt shingles. There is also no need to buy solar mounts or engage specialized labor to lay solar roof tiles. This keeps installation cost low.

Before you build a solar shingles roof, you may want to use a solar pathfinder to identify shading risks on each position of your rooftop. This is because you must position solar shingles in shade-free positions in order to get the most bang for your buck.

Ideally, solar shingles are mounted on a south-facing roof. If such location cannot be found, you may want to consider alternatives and use different techniques to optimize the power supply from your solar generator.

In case you are confused or lost at any point in time, you can always get help from a solar professional who can help you along for a small fee.

There are some big-name manufacturers you’ll want to check out as you do your research. These include Dow Chemical, (Ecotech) ecotechshingles.com, SunPower Corporation, U.S. Green Energy Corporation, United Solar Ovonic (Uni-Solar), Solar Components Corporation and Atlantis Energy Systems.

Continue Reading:

1. Build Amazing Home Solar Power Systems Used by Families Who Don’t Want to Pay For Their Utilities
2. Solar Shingles — What Are These?
3. Solar Panel Installation

Do-It-Yourself Solar Panels Electricity

As you may have realized by now, the (semiconductor) material used is largely responsible for the efficiency of energy conversion — from sunlight to electricity. As scientists discover better semiconductors and better production techniques, photovoltaic cells become cheaper to produce. And as the demand for solar panels increase, economies of scale drives the price of solar cells to the value we know today.

Recently, many hobbyists are getting interested in building for themselves homemade solar panels. This further reduces the cost of introducing a solar power generator into their house. In fact, most of them are able to gather materials from used and broken solar panels to construct fully working (restored) panels at a tenth of the original cost.

However, before you commit to a do-it-yourself solar panel project, you need to consider what you’ll be using it for. Beginners tend to build smaller panels to power their garage lights or garden sprinklers. More experienced enthusiasts often challenge themselves to generate all their household energy needs with several pieces of homemade solar panels installed on rooftops.

If your aspiration is to build a grid-tied or off-grid system for your home, you’ll need to determine the size of your solar energy system needed. Then you’ll know the type and quantity of batteries to buy and what inverters to use. You’ll also need to cater sufficient space in your home to house these electrical items safely.

As many of the DIY solar panels are built from used solar generators, their efficiency may not be as good as off-the-shelf panels fitted with new photovoltaic cells. Therefore it is important to keep the efficiency as high as possible.

This can be achieved by keeping the solar panels as cool as possible. Because efficiency drops as the temperature of photovoltaic cell rises. If your solar panels are installed on the rooftop, you need to ensure sufficient gap between the roof and panels so cool air can pass through to bring away excess heat from the solar panels.

Another way to ensure maximum electricity production is to locate your solar panels at a place with the most sunshine throughout the year. This means the panels should be tilted toward the south (if you’re living in the northern hemisphere) and there should be as little shading as possible.

If your location allows you to generate sufficient energy for your household needs, you’re in luck. With your own set of do-it-yourself solar panels, electricity cost will no longer be a concern as long as the sun is shining for you. You’ll also enjoy shorter payback periods than similar commercial models because DIY solar panels are cheaper.

Continue Reading:

1. About
2. Homemade Solar Panels
3. Solar Panel Efficiency — How Does Dirt on Your Solar Panels Affect The Amount Of Electricity Produced?

In order to size your solar energy panels, you have to decide if you want a direct grid-tie system without batteries or not. If you do not want to use batteries, the size of your solar power generator will simply be what you can comfortably afford ($$). This will help you offset your energy bills, but you’ll have to draw power from the grid at night. Things will be rather different if you want to install an off-grid system with a battery bank.

Contrary to what most people think, step #1 to sizing your solar power system is to check if there is any energy wastage in your home — lights that remain turned on 24/7, pool pumps that keep running even during the night, heaters that never stop pumping hot air, et cetera. Only after you have eliminated these “leaks” can you determine how much energy (KWh) you use every day. Otherwise you’ll be spending lots of money on a larger-than-necessary solar power generator.

It’s easy to determine how much power you use on a daily basis. A quick glance at your utility bill quickly reveals the number. This is the result of those big power-sucking elements around the house. Some examples are your clothes dryer, water heater, air conditioning, refrigerators and heaters. Having your power consumption in mind, you’ll have to multiply it by a factor of 1.15 to correct for power loss through inefficiencies in the system. (Inefficiencies occur as a result of imperfect transmission through the inverter, cables and batteries.)

Even if you are not going to immediately build a solar energy panel now, it’ll be useful to go around your house to look for these energy vampires to slay. Before we go on to the next part of “Sizing Your Solar Energy Panels” series, please do this exercise. It’ll be beneficial to you in the long run and you’ll thank me for it.

Continue Reading:

1. Sizing Your Solar Energy Panels – Part 2
2. Sizing Your Solar Energy Panels – Part 3
3. Home Solar Power — Different Ways of Harnessing Energy From The Sun To Reduce Energy Bills