Tegolasolare tiles – Terracotta tiles integrated with solar panels for a green roof

We’ve seen terracotta roofs before, made of terracotta tiles. And if you haven’t come across any yet, these are those red clay tiles, made out of the same stuff as the pot you’ve grown those roses in. Terracotta roofs have loads of benefits, keeping the house cool and pleasant. Well, here’s a twist to the terracotta tiles, a new generation of them are sprouting up. Known as the Tegolasolare tiles, these terracotta tiles integrate solar panels in them. This simply means that you can place these tiles on your roof, and juice up your home, without the need of an expensive high-end photovoltaic panel, which at times can make your lovely red roofed home look like a spaceship.

Each tile has a solar panel integrated in it, while the wires for the panels have to be run together as the tiles are laid and connected to a junction box. If your home has an extensive roof, these tiles could turn into a miniature power plant. Measuring 46 x 46cm with monocrystaline solar panels measuring 29 x 29cm units, a single square meter generates around 11 Wp. So, a 40 square meter roof produces 3kW of power. This might seem less at first, but at least it could pull the load of the grid to some extent.


[Slashgear]