Solar roof tiles could be the answer if you’re looking to utilise the sun’s power and make use of a sustainable alternative for your energy needs. This article explores the costs, pros, and cons of solar roof tiles in 2024 and helps you understand how they differ from traditional solar panels.
Unlike traditional solar panels, which are mounted on top of existing roofs, solar roof tiles seamlessly integrate into the roof’s structure, providing an aesthetically pleasing and efficient energy solution. They are also referred to as integrated solar panels. How do photovoltaic roof tiles work?
PV tiles explained Solar roof tiles, also known as photovoltaic (PV) tiles, are innovative solar energy solutions that combine the functionality of traditional roof tiles with the ability to generate electricity from sunlight.
Because this is a much bigger job than fitting solar panels and takes a lot longer, solar roof tiles cost twice as much as solar panels or even more in some cases depending on your roof space and the tiles you’re replacing. A further drawback with solar tiles is that they’re not suitable for some homes because of the incline and angle of the roof.
As a rough guide, solar tiles are at least twice the price of solar panels. For an average home (requiring 3KW of solar power), a solar roof could cost £10,000 to £15,000. Fitting solar panels to the roof would cost just over £6,000. Because solar tiles are less efficient, it would take longer before energy savings see a return on investment.
Solar roof tiles are generally around 10-20% energy efficient. However, the technology behind solar panels has been around a lot longer than solar tiles, so it’s very likely that the energy efficiency levels will improve with occasional updates as the technology advances.