Terracotta Roof Tiles Have Built-In Solar Panels

If you are the green type that happens to have a home that uses a terracotta roof, a new green product is available for you. Traditional terracotta tiles are made from red clay like a pot you might plant flowers in on the patio.

The Tegolasolare tiles are made from the red clay just like any other terracotta tiles. However, the maker of the tiles integrates a solar panel into each of the tiles. The wires for the panels have to be ran together as the tiles are laid and connected to a junction box.

The tiles measure 46 x 46cm and the solar panels are monocrystaline 29 x 29cm units. A square meter of tiles takes seven of the units and each generates 11 Wp. A roof of 40 square tiles can produce about 3kW of power. That is a very small fraction of the power an average home needs in a day.