Over a decade ago, people started discussing solar energy powering their homes. Solar panels became a rapidly growing trend for homeowners who wanted to minimize their carbon footprint, but now there’s another option on the market. The future of residential solar shingle roofing is looking bright. These are a few reasons why many homeowners are switching to energy-efficient shingles.

What Are Solar Shingles?

Solar shingles look nearly identical to traditional asphalt shingles. They have rectangular shapes that lay across a roofing structure, covering it with the same cornered edges that people can recognize from the street. However, solar shingles use photovoltaic (PV) sheets to convert sunlight to electrons that can travel through grid lines into homes.

How Are They Different Than Solar Panels?

In contrast, solar panels are large rectangular pieces of metal with white or black lines that criss-cross each other. They’re often a few feet longer than they are wide. Depending on the size of the panel and the homeowner’s roof, they may also require installation onto a ground-based mounting system.

Benefits of Solar Shingle Roofing

These are the most common reasons people are turning to a future of residential solar shingle roofing. They better serve clients seeking thorough coverage for unique homes or budgetary benefits.

1. They Have a Longer Life Span

Solar shingles have a 30-year life span, compared to 20-25 years for solar panels. It’s a much more long-term investment for any homeowner hoping to live in a house entirely powered by the sun. That life span may also match the length they’ll get from their current roofing materials.

Anyone who purchases solar shingles won’t need to remove them a few years later to update the roof materials underneath. The solar technology ages alongside traditional shingles to increase the investment’s longevity.

2. Solar Power is the Future

Industry experts estimate that one hour of sunlight could power the world for a year, compared to the daily CO2 emitted from electricity plants. It’s a climate-friendly way to continue a modern lifestyle that depends on electricity for everything from working from home to relaxing in a backyard pool. As climate change becomes more of a pressing issue for people globally, renewable energy resources like solar shingles will standardize green energy for people in all residential areas.

3. Shingles Work With Unique Roof Shapes

Solar panels may come in different sizes, but they cannot fit onto unique roof shapes. Gables and pitches may have custom-built profiles for homes with nontraditional floorplans or exterior designs. Shingles can fit onto any of those homes because they’re the size of traditional shingles that the builder already accounts for during the design process.

4. Homeowners Deal With Minimal Shingle Maintenance

Solar shingles withstand the same weather conditions that traditional shingles do. Homeowners just have to keep an eye out for leaves and storm debris that may gather on the shingles and block sunlight conversion. It’s much simpler than owning solar panels, which require biannual cleanings and a deeper clean once a year.

5. Multiple Brands Produce Solar Shingles

When the green tech industry first introduced solar panels, they were an expensive investment because customers could only buy them from limited production companies. Now numerous brands create solar shingles designed to power homes with varying levels of solar energy. Homeowners who want to slowly transition to living entirely by solar power or who want to supplement half of their electricity with solar energy can do so with customizable shingles.

Offer Residential Solar Shingle Roofing Shingles

The future of residential solar shingle roofing couldn’t look more promising. Homeowners are catching on to the trend due to its affordability, customizable installation plans and sleek curb appeal. It will become more common as time passes, so it’s something every renewable energy professional should keep tabs on.

Author bio:

Jane works as an environmental and energy writer. She is also the editor-in-chief of

Environment.co.