Solar Shingles Do Double Duty

In answering the question of which trade contractor group is best-suited to install its solar-energy products, Michigan-based Uni-Solar turned to the obvious choice: roofers.

In turn, the firm concentrated on creating a new product line that's easy for roofers to install. The result is a photovoltaic roofing shingle that looks and feels like a regular shingle and can kick out 17 watts of power when the sun shines.

A system of 304 solar shingles, for example, covers 912 square feet of roof with a peak power output of 4,393 watts. The shingles are UL-listed as a roofing cover and install like regular shingles nailed to the roof deck.

Typical systems fall into a price range whereby they pay for themselves in five years through lowered electric bills, says Mark Holohan, Uni-Solar's residential sales manager.

"Home buyers are no longer willing to put up with obtrusive and bulky glass panels sitting on top of their roofs," Holohan says. "And the feedback we've received from homeowners has been extremely positive."

For more information, go to www.uni-solar.com.