Solar so good

Problem: Everyone will freely admit that solar panels are a wonderful idea; they will then balk when you mention price, availability, infrastructure and the apathy rife in the UK affecting the greater up take of this technology. They are certainly not the easiest things in the world top get hold of and, if you do find some, you have to undertake a micro civil engineering project to get them up onto your roof, plumbed in and maintained. They can also ruin the lines of modern, well designed houses. Germany and Japan have huge programmes for domestic solar power generation and the UK is slowly catching up with Government grants available backed to the tune of £20 million. But this doesn't solve the technical and aesthetic problems. Solution: UK company, Powertile, a university spin off, in conjunction with Marley Roofing, has created a solar tiling system which replaces ordinary roof tiles. Not only will it supply solar power to the National Grid but it will also act as an ordinary tile and keep the elements on their own side of the roof. The Marley Powertile is the epitome of simplicity. It does not require any changes to the roof, no special skills are need to fit it, it comes in two parts and the base can be laid and left and all the electrics are pre connected. Each tile has a PV laminate comprising 10 BP solar saturn cells generating an output of 23W (peak). Each tile base is screwed onto the roof battens, taking the place of one or more ordinary roof tile, then the solar panel is simply clicked into place. By having a separate base the tiles can be upgraded as and when more efficient panels become available. There is nothing new with putting solar panels on roofs, but the beauty of this system is that it can be mass produced. The recent Interbuild show provided the company with a massive amount of enquiries – highlighting the potential of the product. Applications: The applications for this are self evident. Now that a system exists where tiles can either be added during the build or retrofitted afterwards there should be no excuses for UK companies, homeowners and property developers alike to embrace solar energy. It is worth considering that 100 Powertiles will produce enough electricity for a standard 3-bedroom house.