Editorial note: Homefront (defined in the Disclosure below) may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured on our site. This commission does not influence our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
Aniket Bhor is a contributing writer for USA TODAY Homefront specializing in solar power. He has a master’s in renewable energies, and he has spent the past decade working as a solar engineer, entrepreneurship trainer and writer for solar power businesses in different parts of the world. Based in Vancouver, Aniket spends his free time hiking, biking, and obsessing over hot sauces and new recipes.
Solar shingles are power-generating roof tiles that offer a sleek aesthetic at an added cost.
Solar shingles cost more than solar panels and have a much longer payback period.
The cost of solar shingles is comparable to the combined cost of a new roof and traditional solar panels.
Solar shingles are a great fit for homeowners who want solar power but don’t want it to stand out. Solar shingles are roof shingles able to generate solar energy. A solar-shingle roof can be almost indistinguishable from a regular roof.
While solar shingles and solar panels offer similar benefits, such as lower energy bills and a decreased carbon footprint, you may find that one or the other isn’t right for you.
Solar shingles are sleek and low-profile but require replacing your entire roof. They’re also roughly twice as expensive as traditional solar panels — though similar to the combined cost of an equivalent solar panel system and a new roof.
Find out if solar shingles fit your particular use case in our in-depth guide to solar shingles below.
Solar shingles are a clever combination of roof shingles and solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. A classic example of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), a solar shingle has solar cells integrated into its surface. Based on factors such as energy needs and roof orientation, some or all of a home’s roof tiles can be solar shingles.
Unlike traditional solar modules, which are immediately noticeable on a roof, the low-profile design of solar shingles helps them blend in with their nonsolar counterparts.
Solar shingles were invented by Dow Chemical Company, which first launched a commercial solar roof tile in 2009. However, the technology gained widespread attention when Tesla announced its revolutionary solar roof in 2016.
The main difference between solar shingles and traditional solar panels is that solar panels are installed on top of your current roof, while solar shingles replace the existing roof.
Since solar panels are not required to mimic a building material, they are designed primarily with performance in mind.
Solar shingles, on the other hand, have design limitations, which lead to slightly lower efficiency. Design limitations also affect the size, material and expected life span of the shingles. The table below outlines the key differences between solar shingles and solar panels.
Solar shingles are still a relatively new technology, so there are several things to consider before committing — including cost, performance, durability and appearance. When evaluating multiple solar shingle options, aim to find an optimum balance between these and other relevant factors.
A solar shingle’s power rating determines the number of shingles your roof requires to generate electricity. A shingle with a high power rating will provide ample power in a smaller space. This is particularly helpful if you have a small roof or a roof with a smaller South-facing section, which is the ideal direction for North American systems.
Solar shingles can generate from 15 W to more than 70 W based on the major options on the market, including Tesla, SunTegra, GAF Timberline and CertainTeed. Brand and model will affect energy output. The Tesla solar shingle, for instance, generates 71.67 W, while the GAF Timberline solar shingle generates 45 W of peak power.
Solar shingles can vary in size, which is why manufacturers also offer a power generation value per square foot. For example, Tesla’s shingles generate a little more than 15 W per square foot of surface area.
Installing solar roof shingles is somewhat similar to traditional roof shingle installation, making it more complex and time-consuming than standard solar panel installation. This is in part because installers must tear off your existing roof. Some solar shingle brands require you to replace your entire roof, while others can replace just parts of it, making the installation somewhat cheaper and faster.
Aside from this, the complexity of a roof can also affect the ease, speed and cost of the installation process. For example, it is more complex to install solar shingles on a roof with too many obstacles. Similarly, a roof with an orientation or pitch that does not allow it to receive ample sunlight will need more solar shingles to compensate for the reduced performance, adding to the time, effort and cost of installation.
Similar to traditional roof shingles, solar shingles are exposed directly to harsh sun, rain, snow and hail — which means durability is key.
The best solar shingle options on the market are tested for durability with mechanical stress tests and hail impact tests. When considering a solar shingle model, verify that the manufacturer has tested the product for as many durability tests as possible. This will help you get a better return on your investment.
Most reputable solar shingles come with a 25-year product warranty, which is the minimum length you should look for. Not all warranties are equal, though; you should check for these types:
Most major solar shingle products integrate a thin-film solar cell into a glass or steel tile. This often makes them stronger than traditional asphalt shingles. Currently, copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) is the most common thin-film composition used in solar shingles.
Thin-film solar cells have been in commercial use for a while. They may not be as widespread as crystalline silicon (which is used in most solar panels), but their flexibility and lightweight construction make them perfect for portable or BIPV applications, such as flexible solar panels or solar shingles.
The earliest solar shingles were simply solar cells attached to otherwise regular roof shingles. These shingles, though not as apparent as solar panels, were easy to distinguish from regular roof shingles.
However, technological advancement in the industry has led to innovative designs that make the “solar” component of solar shingles almost invisible. Most solar shingles blend in seamlessly with surrounding roof shingles. Many solar shingles are even designed to look like traditional asphalt roof shingles.
Although solar shingles haven’t captured the solar PV market like the ever so popular solar panels have, a significant number of reputable companies have launched their own solar roofing products. Here are some examples:
Most of the above brands offer installation services, but you can also install their products through authorized installation partners. For example, Green Home Systems is an authorized installer for CertainTeed’s solar shingles.
The cost of solar shingles varies based on brand, system size, roof size and pitch, and overall installation complexity. Installing a solar roof system on a typical American home may cost between $25,000 and $60,000 but can range up to $70,000 or more, according to Axia Solar.
Solar shingles are more expensive than solar panels, which cost an average of $2.86 per watt. By comparison, solar shingles cost from $4.80 to $6.40 per watt, according to Axia. While this may seem high, the total cost to install solar shingles is comparable to the combined cost of a new conventional roof and a traditional solar panel system.
The average payback period for solar panels in the United States is less than 10 years, while the life of a solar power system is 25–30 years. This means solar power can offer around two decades of free electricity. Considering the nation’s average electricity bill of around $137 per month, this can amount to significant lifetime savings, particularly in states with high electricity costs, such as California.
Despite solar shingles’ high price, the cost of solar products, including panels and shingles, has dropped drastically over the past decade. At the same time, the cost of conventional grid power is constantly rising.
A solar roof is a solar power system, which means your solar shingles will be eligible for most or all of the solar incentives and rebates available for traditional rooftop solar systems. This includes federal, state-level and local incentives offered by municipalities and utility companies.
The most important solar incentive available in the United States is the federal solar tax credit. Also known as the solar investment tax credit (ITC), it allows you to deduct 30% of your system’s cost from your income tax payments. For example, if a solar shingle system costs $50,000, you can get a noteworthy income tax credit of $15,000.
In most states, solar shingles are also eligible for state-sponsored solar loans such as the PACE financing program, which allows you to finance your solar roof and repay the borrowed amount through an addition to your property taxes. Your solar company can apply for the solar incentives on your behalf.
Solar shingles have quickly gone from an interesting new invention to the logical next step in the evolution of solar photovoltaics. Their ability to power a home while being inconspicuous sets them apart from traditional solar panels. Moreover, the dropping price of solar shingles is now making them a sound investment — especially in cases where a new roof is required.
If you are interested in exploring solar shingles for your home, check out our top choices for solar or reach out to reputable solar companies or roofers and compare quotes from at least three installers. We recommend starting with Tesla and Green Home Systems, two of the most reliable solar shingle installers in the country based on our research.
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
Trinity Solar is our first choice for solar installations. It provides top-notch customer support networks with high-quality solar panel installations. Elevation is also among the best solar companies, with an impressive solar services catalog and comprehensive website features. If upfront cost isn’t your primary factor, you might favor SunPower for its top-performing, highly efficient solar…
ADT Solar (formerly known as Sunpro Solar) offers a 25-year warranty for its panels, performance, workmanship and microinverters, making it an investment that will give you peace of mind. While the industry average panel warranty is 25 years, most companies only offer five- or 10-year warranties for other system aspects. Customer reviews applaud ADT’s 24/7…
Solar panels last around 25 years, on average, although many continue to function even after 30 years or more. According to David Schieren, CEO of EmPower Solar in Long Island, New York, “The standard solar panel life span is 25 to 40 years, with reputable manufacturers offering warranties to cover those first 25 years.” A…
Our editorial team is committed to creating independent and objective content focused on helping our readers make informed decisions. To help support these efforts we receive compensation from companies that advertise with us.
The compensation we receive from these companies may impact how and where products appear on this site. This compensation does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides within our content. We do not include all companies, products or offers that may be available.