SOLAR TILES THAT ALLOW HOUSES TO BE A SUSTAINABLE HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT

Solar tiles are actually an alternative to solar panels, economically convenient. What is the cost efficiency ratio?

Price and consumption: Are the solar panels sustainable?

Sustainability is one of the main demands of this new society, not only with the environment, but also with this term that has crept into the real estate language and is booming.

The demand for renewable energies grows and above all it is the consumer who prefers to place in his house elements that provide them. The best known are solar panels, but advances in this field give us many new alternatives.

The  best solar tiles  of 2019/2020

The Government has finally launched the necessary amendments to the electricity self-consumption regulations. And among these, we emphasize that the neighborhood communities (those that can have the best and biggest solar roofs), can be united to install solar panels to produce energy.

The producers of this energy will not have to be constituted legally as an energy product although they are private and will be able to compensate in their bill with the surplus energy that they pour into the large distributors.

These measures are part of the Royal Decree of self-consumption adopted by the Council of Ministers, as a continuation of the royal decree of November last year that eliminated the so-called «sun tax» that limited this practice.

Legislation of solar tiles

There is more and more demand and  more legislation … but it is not enough. Innovation goes much faster and sometimes, it is unusual to discover how public agencies do not facilitate access to them.

Among all these advances, today we want to highlight one of our favorites: solar tiles. It’s simple: a roof that is full, or partially covered by these tiles,  satisfies the energy needs of a family.

Photovoltaic and thermal solar tiles are a solution and alternative to traditional solar panels to take advantage of free and sustainable energies.

Image of the solar tiles of the Italian company REM SpA PLEXIGLAS®

The sun tax is illegal

It did not make any sense, but we have had to live with  the sun tax for the last three years but the European Union has announced that it is illegal.

So culminate nearly three years of complaints from citizens groups and environmentalists in which to claim the right to participate in the energy transition a reality, without bureaucratic barriers and taxes in the sun, we have done almost everything:  Greenpeace activists  are They have  hung on the facade of the building of the Ministry of Energy , we have installed  solar panels , delivered your more than 100,000 signatures against the sun tax and have even dedicated a song to Mariano Rajoy.

 

This European agreement recognizes  the right of all people to participate in  Europe’s energy revolution and breaks down some of the most important barriers to the fight against climate change.

As of 2021, when the new directive comes into force, we can produce, exchange, sell and store renewable electricity.

This good news, however, has a not so positive aspect , and that is that governments and the European Parliament have lowered their ambition in the minimum target of renewable energy by 2030, allowing  electricity companies to remain hooked on fossil fuels  and making it almost  impossible to fulfill our Paris climate commitments .

We knew it was not going to be easy, but steps like the one given this week by the European Union make us hope that it is possible to reach a 100% clean system.

Update 2019: legislation on plates and solar tiles

1,092 days, almost three years of this nonsense, came to an end last Friday when the government approved a royal decree-law of measures against energy poverty and the rise in the price of light that proposes to eliminate the famous ‘sun tax’ PP and all the barriers to self-consumption.

It is a great victory of the citizenship against the power of the big electric. Because since 2015 Spanish families, in addition to having to face  the  most restrictive self-consumption regulations in the world, have one of the highest electricity costs in Europe, while large electric companies have doubled their profits.

This culminates almost three years of campaigning in which, with you at our side, we have done almost everything: our activists have hung on the facade of the Ministry of Energy building, we have installed solar panels, delivered your more than 100,000 signatures against the sun tax and we have even dedicated a song to Mariano Rajoy that more than a million people have heard.

But we still can not sing victory at all: now the ball is on the roof of the Congress of Deputies, which within a maximum period of one month, may approve or reject it, at a critical moment in which the fight against climate change it intensifies.

This week UN experts have warned of the urgency of taking drastic and «unprecedented» measures to combat it. Because climate change is no longer a future threat, it is already here and its effects are increasingly visible.

Proof of this are the terrible events experienced this year, from the record heat waves in northern Europe to the large forest fires that have suffered in places as diverse as the Arctic Circle, the Mediterranean or the West Coast of the United States. .

Or  the abrupt melting of permafrost , the accelerated disappearance of the Great Barrier Reef and the rate of melting of the Antarctic, which has tripled in just five years.

Now it is the turn of the Government of Pedro Sánchez to fulfill and implement all the necessary measures. The elimination of the sun tax and the  recognition of the right to self-consumption  without tolls or charges are a great first step.

But we can not stay there. From associations such as Greenpeace, together with thousands of people like you, we will continue to press tirelessly for them to comply and that our country, the most affected in Europe by climate change, will take the lead in the fight for a greener future.

Alternatives to solar panels

There are many varieties but in essence, it is a system that improves the aesthetics of conventional solar panels and that luckily is spreading in Europe.

They allow to obtain renewable energy without affecting the aesthetics of the building, thanks to its resemblance to conventional tiles, and most importantly: besides covering the roof of the house, they  produce electricity that  can be used to generate heat.

The initial investment is high, but in a few years, it is more than compensated due to savings in electricity.

Are solar panels or solar tiles better?

AESTHETIC OPTIONS

If we had to highlight the main advantage by making a comparison between solar tiles and solar panels, today, in 2019, is the architectural and aesthetic integration that solar tiles offer a home.

PRICE COMPARISON

And if making a comparison we had to highlight a disadvantage, in this case we would highlight that they involve a much higher installation cost than solar panels with a basic photovoltaic module. This disadvantage or disadvantage is much lower in the case of newly built homes or in complete reforms of the roof of the house. In this case, the price is much more similar since in any case, although we opted for the traditional photovoltaic module, we must face the purchase of traditional tiles and their installation.

COMPARATIVE PRODUCTION AND EFFICIENCY

If we compare production and efficiency with solar tiles between both options, taking two standard models of each of them, we see that in the case of solar tiles it is necessary to install about 10 square meters to obtain 1 Kwp, while with the plates solar photovoltaic about 7 m2 of solar panels will not give 1Kwp.

FUTURE OPTION

The development of solar photovoltaic energy is unstoppable in Europe and the future of this energy is to be integrated from the start in all new buildings. And not only through its tiles, as even for some large glass buildings, photovoltaic windows are a very interesting option.

Price, budget and models of solar tiles

In the pictures we have shown some of the solar tiles of the Italian company Plexiglas, but this is not the only company that has improved the known solar panels.

Several American and European companies have developed models that can be installed on any roof although today we have made a small selection to show you the variety of models that are being developed.

Solar Roof Design

This is the case of another Italian company called  Area Industrie Ceramiche . The model is called «tegolasolare», and this red tile is made with four solar cells and can be installed in a conventional way, connecting the solar panels to create a photovoltaic field.

To give you an idea: an area of ​​40 m2 covered with these tiles has a capacity to generate 3 KWh of energy.

Image of the tile model «tegolasolare» of the company Area Industrie Ceramiche

Transparent Solar Tiles

It is presented by the Swedish company  SolTech Energy,  which is dedicated to obtaining solar energy. This long-distance company won the award for «Best New Material 2010» for its unique heating system with tiles made of transparent glass. These innovative tiles give a modern look to your roof because they are «glazed» tiles.

But not only aesthetically, these tiles are made of common glass and weigh the same as clay tiles. What makes them special is that they do not heat the water, as we are usually accustomed, but clean air. They are installed on a black canvas, where spaces for air are left.

The black color attracts heat and therefore the air that circulates below. This air is then used to heat water or directly a room.

The glazed tile system generates around 350 kWh of heat per square meter, depending on the climate.

Solar tiles from SolTech Energy company

Roof tiles of Photovoltaic and Thermal Solar Energy

The well-known leading solar energy company Solarcentury has the prestigious Rushlight Award for Solar Power for its solar tiles. For this he managed to create a system that combines solar photovoltaic and thermal energy in a single tile.

Its tile C21t facilitates the production of solar thermal energy thanks to its quick and easy installation, as well as its adaptation with any type of tile.

Image of the tiles «C21t» of the company Solarcentury

The solar roofs of Tesla [Review and Ratings]

The Tesla sunroof promises to be cheaper than a normal one, has a lifetime guarantee and also generates electricity. These Tesla brand sunroofs  are becoming popular in many California homes. The details of this proposal was launched by  CleanTechnica  and you can also find them  on their own websit

It has already achieved, even, that Tesla achieves  that an entire island of the Pacific works 100% with solar energy . Ta’u, located in American Samoa has managed to disconnect from the conventional electricity grid and be energy independent thanks to the solar energy collected with panels and stored its batteries.

Solar Roof is designed to be integrated into the design of houses. But its advantage is not found in the tile itself, but in the integration with Tesla’s Powerwall battery.

The energy that is collected during the day is stored and available at all times, allowing you to convert your home  into your own supply network . Tempered glass solar tiles are so durable that they are guaranteed for the entire life of your home.

This innovative product has a great advantage over traditional solar panels:  the new solar roof contains an integrated system that unites and eliminates the need for independent solar panels.

 In addition, it improves in terms of aesthetics since the photovoltaic cells are fitted in the cover producing an elegant finish.

 

But beware! according to  Alejandro Nieto  in  Xataka, it  is an ecological measure but not an economic one. In Spain we have many hours of light, but also few subsidies to deal with these expenses. For new homes it can be interesting, since you have to place a roof but not for houses in which you must replace your current roof with this one.

You no longer have excuses to join sustainability. There are alternatives for all tastes.

These solar tiles, together with other resources to obtain renewable energy  can make our homes self-sustainable. Now it only remains for politicians to understand that they are the future … of the planet and help us to urge them in every home.

The 10 most efficient solar panels [Updated Prices 2019]

In this table you can see the 10 highest quality solar panels on the market in terms of  price / efficiency  according to the Energy News portal  :

Solar cells of 60 cells	Module Efficiency	Power	€ / Wp	Guarantee	Price according to € / Wp
1.Canadian Solar CS6K 280P	17,11%	280W	0.30	10 years product warranty	€ 84
2. Benq Auo Sun Vivo PM060MB2	18.40%	310W	0.30	10 years product warranty	€ 93
3. Jinko Solar JKM270P-60	16.50%	270W	0.30	12 years product warranty	€ 81
4. Yingli YGE 60 Cell Series 2 HSF Smart	18.50%	275W	0.30	10 years product warranty	€ 82.5
5. Longi Solar LR6-60PE	19.60%	305W	0.30	10 years product warranty	€ 91.5
Solar cells of 72 cells
1. LG Neon 2 Bifacial N1T-A5	22% Frontal + 20% Rear	390W (up to 507W)	0.62	12 years product warranty	€ 241.80
2. REC TP2S 72	17.70%	350W	0.44	12 year product warranty (Gold Partner AS Solar)	€ 154
3. Yingli YLM 72 CELL 340	17.50%	340W	0.37	10 years product warranty	€ 125.80
4. Atersa A-300M	16.96%	300W	0.72	10 years product warranty	€ 216
5. Jinko JKM315M-72	16.23%	315W	0.46	10 years product warranty	€ 144.90

List classified by number of cells (60 and 72) and percentage of efficiency of each of the panels.