We just finished installing a 9.9kW solar PV system with a completely new type of solar panel. These panels, called solar shingles, lie flat on the roof and are integrated into the roof. They give a nice, stream-lined appearance.
In the past, solar shingles have been made of amorphous silicon (“flexible” solar panels). They look good but are very expensive and not as efficient as the crystalline silicon that traditional solar panels use — meaning much less power per square foot.
These new solar shingles, however, are made of the same crystalline silicon as the typical PV panels. This means a competitive price and good power output.
The solar panels can be installed over the existing shingles. In this case, however, we removed the old, damaged roof and installed the panels right on the roof deck with a special fire-resistant underlayment underneath and custom made flashings around the panels.
