As an affordable roofing contractor in Cincinnati, we are always looking out for innovation in our field. Many conscientious roof builders are wild about solar tiles right now, and for good reason. Tiling a roof with solar cells is a smart way to make a house self-sustaining, which in the long run will reduce energy bills.
More recently, solar glass has started to become into view. While solar tiles are opaque, devoting their sky-facing surface to photovoltaic fuel cell material, solar glass lets some of the light through. For the most part, solar glass harvests the infrared part of the light spectrum, since that is invisible to human eyes, and allows some of the visible “Roy G Biv” spectrum to pass through. The effect is, essentially, a skylight that collects infrared beams to convert into electrical power.
Devin Coldewey wrote in TechCrunch this month about a research project at the University of Exeter in the UK.
The researchers’ new suggestion involves funneling light from the larger sky-facing surface down to a smaller cell on the roof’s interior.
By concentrating that solar energy onto a smaller surface area, the glass allows more visible light to pass through – enabling that transparency – while intensifying the amount of energy each photovoltaic cell will receive.
These units, called “Solar Squared” units, help insulate as well, as they are thicker than other solar glass options.
The University of Exeter has spun this research project off into its own company, called Build Solar. We are still a way off from this product being commercially available, but predictions are that the first application may be into the rooftops of large buildings rather than single-family homes.
If you are looking for an affordable roofing contractor in Cincinnati, call us at 513-444-6098. We here at Harper Siding & Roofing can help with any and all of your roof-maintenance needs.