Solé Power Tile – Integrated Solar Panel Roofing

Philadelphia-based company SRS Energy is a leading developer of sustainable solar roofing systems. The Solé Power Tile created by SRS Energy is the first curved building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) roofing product, designed in collaboration with US Tile. The eco-friendly blue barrel-style tiles can be seamlessly integrated with US Tile’s traditional clay tiles. 

The product employs thin-film solar technology that incorporates triple-junction amorphous solar cells made by UNI-SOLAR. The tiles are rated at 860 kilowatt hours per square (or per 100 square feet) annually in an area with "5.8 peak sun hours" per day. The Solé tiles are also lightweight, unbreakable and fully-recyclable. Their shape allows air to flow underneath, reducing a building’s cooling needs.

The Solé Power Tile has just passed a key milestone. SRS Energy has obtained an ETL listing report certifying the Solé Power Tile has passed the testing associated with the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) UL 1703 standard. Passing this is the prerequisite for any solar photovoltaics to be approved by the State of California as eligible for CSI rebates from utilities. In June, the factory will be inspected, and then the Solé Power Tile will likely be included on the CEC approved module listing on July 1st.

SRS Energy’s Solé Power Tile system won the Gold prize in the Industrial Design category of the 2010 Edison Best New Product Awards.

More information you can find here.

Power Your Home with Solar Roof Tiles

Today the main way for homes to harness solar power is still through bulky rigid panels added to the rooftop or mounted on the ground. But inte recent years there are some innovations within the solar PV industry such as solar roof tiles. Solar roof tiles refer to Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) systems. They blend in better and help deliver clean, green solar power, without the need to sacrifice the aesthetic look and beauty of your home.

Solar roof tiles are made with built-in photovoltaic cells and the color of the solar tiles range from blue to violet to gray and blends well with most colors. Solar roof tiles are connected to each other via MC or other suitable connector type used inphotovoltaics and they work like conventional solar panels. One tile produces about 60 - 180 watts of electricity, and an entire roof could definitely power your entire house. A real hot sunny day could even mean profit for you, excess energy can be sold at a nearby company.

Solar roof tiles are more expensive than solar panels but in terms of the advantages it gives to a local user, it should outweigh the cons. Also, the government offers considerate breaks in taxes for homes that use solar power electricity.

Some of the companies currently producing solar roof tiles are General Electric, PowerLight, Sharp Electronics, and SunPower Corp.

Solé Power Tile, created by SRS Energy, is the industry’s first building-integrated photovoltaic product designed specifically for curved-roof systems and in my next post I'm going to write about it.