Solé Power Tiles – roofing tiles generating electricity

Besides building green surfaces on our roofs we need solar energy harnessing. Shouldn’t our roof tiles accomplish that? Guys from SRS Energy surely think so. Solar energy is a renewable alternative to power plants that burn fossil fuels, finite resources that contribute to pollution, global warming, as well as the reliance on imports for our energy security. SRS Energy roofing systems provide an electricity-generating solution for your home with immediate savings. As a sustainable “cool roof” with high air flow, US Tile’s roof system offers an additional savings of 5 to 20 percent in typical home cooling costs.

The active SRS Energy solar roofing tiles cover about 15 percent of the roof on an average home. The Solé Power Tile system, currently only available in blue, integrates with US Tile’s wide array of clay tile in a host of colors from a premium glazed blue to classic earthen hues. This system offers homeowners design flexibility while maintaining the profile of a premium clay roofing system.

Each Solé Power Tile roofing tile is equipped with components that circumvent the “Christmas light” effect. This means that the failure of a single tile will NOT trigger an overall roof failure.  The system is an upgrade to US Tile’s authentic clay roofing system, so it is the first environmentally-sustainable energy solution that integrates an aesthetic solar component into the purchase of a new premium roof.  The TPO formulation is frequently used in rugged car bumpers. SRS Energy rigorously tests the materials for their safety, durability, and toughness in the harsh roofing environment. The tiles are also lightweight and unbreakable. Flexible solar technology manufactured by United Solar Ovonic (UNI-SOLAR), the world leader in thin film solar, is safely imbedded in the tile.

A Solé Power Tile system takes less time than conventional solar panels to generate the amount of energy required in the production process, making them a true green product. That time represents a very small amount of the tile’s life span and its capacity to continue generating electricity over the long term. A Solé Power Tile system is guaranteed to generate electricity at a rate that equals 80 percent of its generating capacity for a period of 20 years, and is expected to continue to produce well beyond the warranty period. In addition, the polymers employed in the tile can be recycled once the product reaches the end of its life.

SRS Energy has successfully conducted product evaluations to test outdoor performance with regards to safety, long-term UV stability and color fastness, resistance to wind uplift, electrical output, durability and the extreme mechanical stresses found on a roof.

SRS Energy’s Solé Power Tile upgrade will be available in select US West Coast markets in the Fall of 2009 through US Tile. SRS Energy intends to expand its footprint into additional domestic markets as well as international markets in 2010 and 2011.