Solar Roofing or Traditional Solar Panels - Which Should You Choose?

As far as we’re concerned, it’s a loaded question. The reason? Frankly, solar electric (aka photovoltaics, or PV for short) is frequently not the best choice to begin with.

Don’t get me wrong. We’re not anti-PV. Quite the contrary. We install PV as well as solar thermal systems. On a personal note, we lived completely off-grid and used two small PV systems to supply electricity for our home and an outbuilding for three years before moving to the Wausau area. It was a wonderful experience in many ways and we plan to install PV in some capacity on our new home once we’ve gotten that far in the renovation process.

 

PV or no PV – that is the question.

However, when a customer approaches us about PV, the first question we have for them is, “What’s your reason for wanting it?”

PV is great for those wanting to be self-sufficient or completely energy independent. It’s great as part of a larger plan for those building an energy-efficient home, or as a crowning glory for those who have already gotten their energy consumption down to very low levels.

But for those wanting simply to reduce high energy bills in a cost-effective manner, it’s not great. It’s stupid. You can spend a lot less on other technologies that will take your total energy footprint down tons faster than PV, and that’s where it ought to start for those seeking value.

Now that that’s off my chest, let’s get back to the topic at hand.

 

Solar roofing or panels – which is better?

Well, as usual, there are pros and cons to each. Let’s take a look.

People like solar roofing primarily because of the aesthetics. It blends right in with the roof without interfering with the design qualities of the building.

Thin film solar such as solar roofing is typically far less efficient at converting sunlight to electricity – about 8-10% efficient vs. 12% to over 20% now for regular panels. However, it does continue to produce electricity at far lower light levels than traditional panels. Is it enough to make up for the lower efficiency? The debate rages in solar circles. For now the best we can tell you is we don’t really know.

 

Snowed by snow

One thing we do know, though, is that here in central and northern Wisconsin we get a lot of snow. Snow that doesn’t melt readily off of PV surfaces of any type. Snow that can put solar electricity generation out of commission for days on end. We figure that with a roof mount you’ll be losing 20% to over 30% of your annual production in a typical year if you don’t want to be dancing around on your roof all winter.

With a solar roof there’s not much you can do about it. But regular panels can be pole-mounted where it’s easy to brush them off with a broom. And if you use an adjustable rack you can change their angle a couple times a year (flatter in summer, steeper in winter) for greater efficiency and to shed snow more effectively.

Now, we’re not going to say one option is better than another. Every situation is different and it’s good to have options to weigh. But for most applications, in this climate we’ll place our bets on the panels.

 

Anne Michelsen is a freelance writer specializing in helping Green and renewable energy companies enjoy increased attention and greater sales through dynamic sales copy and insightful content.  This blog post first appeared in Performance Energy News, her family's solar energy company's blog.  

For more information about Anne's services, visit www.GreenInkCopywriting.com.  Be sure to subscribe to The Green Inkwell, her weekly tips and insights into marketing, sales writing and sustainability, and get a complimentary copy of her Green marketing report, Making Sense of the Green Sector: What Every Marketer Should Know About Selling Sustainable Products and Services.