Which is better solar panels or solar tiles?

Answer 1

Solar tiles are about four times as much as solar panels when you price them per watt. The panels have a better warrenty and are eisier to install. Solar tiles are for those communities that have restrictions on how the house must look. Also consider putting them on a rack beside the house instead of on the roof. The fewer holes in the roof the better.

Neither one produces enough power to ever pay for themselves, nor are they green energy as they have more power used in their construction then they ever give off. They certainly have their place in remote areas where you can not tie into the grid, just do not plan on ever getting enough power to pay for them.

AnswerSolar Panels is the simple answer. Elaborating on that is a bit more complicated. Solar Tiles are made to blend in with your existing roof tiles, so that a community, or HoA that requires aesthetics to be maintained won't deny you the ability to receive solar tiles.

Solar Panels have a higher production rate per square foot compared to Solar tiles. Why is this? Solar Tiles get hotter, as Solar panels generally stand off from the roof at about 3" - 6" this allows air to cool to panel. As solar panels and tiles get hotter their voltage production starts to drop. Cooler it is, more voltage these panels produce.

Final large difference between the two is cost, generally Solar Tiles cost a bit more for equal quality PV Cell compared to Solar Panels. Solar Panels also have a larger selection from poor or bad quality to high or great quality.