If You've Avoided Rooftop Solar Tech, You May Have Just Run Out of Excuses 

Well done GAF. Even if I don't buy this product whenever I get solar, I love this innovation and am cheering it on.

Brian Cooley is such a good reporter, I honestly don't even care what the subject matter is...I will watch/read it. Bang on, as always!

5:40 I'd like to hear more about that -0.35% temperature coefficient. Cooling the underside with ventilation had always been so crucial.

Water leakage isn’t an issue with today’s racking systems and flash feet. I noticed the .55 degradation after 25 years that’s not even in the ballpark. String Inverter technology …not class leading. No. Dollar/watt breakdowns every video I see on this is vague with no numbers. I guarantee solar sales aren’t made without a real world breakdown of how much watts of production are being produced for the cost. This could be a solid product for a niche clientele. There was also no mentioned of cell efficiency. We’re about 2 years from the release of tandem PV technology which will drive panel efficiency to the upper 20s. More efficiency equals choice of more power gen or less panels.

@4:35 They cut off the conversation about the Central micro inverter. There is a reason why! Be warned with only a single micro inverter for the whole roof it will only take 10% of shade on ANY individual Solar Shingle to shut down every solar shingle because they are wired in series like Christmas tree lights. That means trees, cloud cover another house...all you need is 10% of your roof shaded to get ZERO power

I'd still want rack-mounted panels. 1. Have microinverters, 2. Potentially run cooler which reduces efficiency loss on hot days.

I like the idea of being able to nailgun the panels to the side of our camper because of how lightweight the panels are... We've only got so much room on the roof.

For me now I don't care about design, colour and all those specs.... price is the most important thing. A company able to provide low cost solar panels will easily make a killing worldwide.

As a solar business, since 1977, the most practical placement of solar panels is building a covered carport. It’s easier to service and the entire structure qualifies for tax credits.

There is another advantage that they don't talk about. I ordered solar panels for my roof. They add weight to the roof and therefore that requires an engineering review and requires that your city or county needs to sign off on it. From a structural engineering point of view there is no additional load vs. shingles and should not require extra structural engineering scrutiny. My project has been delayed by my city for a long time due to the City engineer's questions and requirements.

Optionally add heat pipes on the backs of these to: 1. cool the PV cells, 2. provide heating and/or hot water

Version 1.0. Concept is great. Give this company couple of years and they might do product updates in 2.0 to bring costs down and efficiency up.

Imagine if every home in the sunny states of the West (California, Arizona, Nevada, etc) had roofs that were generating solar electricity. Game changer right there, never mind about the rest of the country.

I'd worry about heat and longevity compared to regular Solar panels.

In my region, *the fire department will not fight fires of rooftop PV installations* simply because of the risks for the firefighters. No "excuses" needed - just rational thinking applied.

Brilliant product. Needs to be globally launched.

How do the home insurers feel about this? Will they pay to replace these after storm damage or just pay the value of an equivalent standard shingle roof? Are premiums inflated to adjust for that?

The video talks about the loss of .035% coefficient starting at 77 F, and increasing as the temperature increases. What is the loss at 90 degrees+ that I get here is south Florida? How much does that affect the production of power?

Great concept - very practical - I see more room for improvement in eliminating the majority of rooftop cables , connectors, and connector housings with flat interlocking buss bars or similar locking tabs.

The only advantage that rack mounted panels have is this: they can be installed on roofs that don't face the ideal angle/direction. Although less attractive, the panels can be tilted to maximize output. Since my roof faces due south, *I WANT these shingles* !

Got to give it to this seller. He got it all right: articulation, expertise, language, all the checkboxes. The product seems great.

Why not glue the panels on to a rubber canvas like pondliner, u can cut that to size for any roof. And that lasts same 30 years. Can be underwater (like 2inch or so for better cooling. )

It's going to be a lot harder to keep these panels cleared of snow than raised panels. Also, the slope of roofs are not always optimal depending on latitude and time of year. Raised pannels can change this angle for greater efficiency.

I enjoyed the video. How hard would it be to change out a panel when one fails? Thanks Mike

Wouldn't it be best to keep an air gap for heat issues in the attic? If someone choose white shingles to benefit from the 50 degree cooler roof surface temperature 🌡️, this product is an oven.

How do you repair or replace a panel /microinverter when it goes out? If one of the micro inverters goes out will the system continue to function since it's based on a string inverter?

This is absolutely bloody brilliant, extremely well engineered. THIS is American manufacturing ingenuity, this earned a like and subscribe!

I like that Brian corrects the solar guy for his incorrect use of inverter terms. Central inverters aren't used in residential settings, string inverters are.

Very interested to learn how this system will hold up to hail.

Absolutely brilliant! Great idea. I would buy it in a heartbeat if they were available where I live.

That is mental that such a low percentage of roofs get solar. We re-roofed in Northern England 2 years ago and got black in line (where the panel is the primary waterproof layer and the roof membrane the secondary) panels fitted into the roof. It cost around US $10,000 for a 7kw system and it saved about $5000 in slate cost, as less slates were needed. We don't even get much sun in Northern England, I have no idea why so few people would consider solar. This system looks good.

The "Vacant Walking Areas" he mentions at 5:45 is actually a Fire Code requirement to allow Firefighters access. Haven't seen anything to indicate that Timberline is exempt from these requirements.

somehow i dont think thst the homeowner paid full price for the solar panel and install

I love this idea. I still want to see test results from homeowners.

They could easily incorporate these into building codes. Require every new home built to have enough solar to power the house plus 40%

Great idea for a product that should only improve. I do wonder about the cost but solar is always a major investment. I have no doubt they can eventually achieve cost parity with normal panels. I think the others will be copying them because if these last they're the obvious choice

How is shade mitigation done? Are the panels connected in series or parallel? A central, single inverter usually has shade problems.

I am really impressed with this! Making solar an easier thing to interact and integrate into existing roofing businesses is always a good thing. My only concern is durablity to hail. You are doing great, does your company have a social media presence?

My biggest question isn't if it's "weather/wet" proof... How about how good is it in frozen rain, 20 degrees below zero, and heavy snow? That's where I can help make a decision with Midwest use

I was recently informed by a GAF solar shingle installer that I must have my entire roof shingled when this product is used or else GAF could not offer a warranty. This was a problem for me because only 6 months ago I had one side of my house re-roofed (Owens-Corning) due to leaks, but now that I am ready for solar I would be required to re-roof that side again - only this time with GAF - before I could get a warranty with the GAF solar shingles. It's all-or-nothing with GAF.

I like where they're going with this technology. Looking forward to future designs with integrated seamless connectors.

Love it. How do they compare to regular shingles in regard to fire?

Great product, very easy to install and looks great on the roof. I also think they have less chance of blowing off in a storm because the wind can not grab under it like a traditional solarpanel.

This is a great product. Now, you need to get the price down to a reasonable amount.

What’s there life span how what issues are there with snow load what elec issues are there how do you prep valley’s can you install on low slope

This is great. Thanks! But it would be more comprehensive if it covered recycling as well.

Metal roofs can use bracket systems that don’t go through the roof thus avoiding holes. The brackets tighten down on the metal ridges and connect to rooftop solar panels. Best option in my opinion.

So how many of these does it take to equal 1 350 watt solar panel? What about overheating your roof or attic with no air flow underneath? How many micro inverters or what size invertor do you need for these. What is the amo output of the shingle?

What holds it down from the wind lifting it up? Butyl tape? or is that just to stop any wind driven rain from getting under?

Hoping this will be available nationwide soon, as I haven’t been able to find a company that offers this yet in NH....

I wish they had showed the finished product of that guys roof

How do these meet the NEC 2017/2020 panel level shutdown requirements? I'd imagine having to purchase a per-shingle tigo (or similar) optimizer / shutdown would be even more prohibitively expensive and break the aesthetic benefit. What are the per-panel wattage output and @ what voltage? How is grounding handled for all of these shingle sized panels?

If one panel/shingle goes defective or is damaged does that essentially make the whole solar collection system stop working?

I used to sell solar, and would have to say to clients " you could almost eliminate your$87.00 a month average bill if you purchase this $24,000.00 system, if it lasts 20 years".

From where i’m from, solar panel have to oriented to the south to optimize daylight. What do we do if the roof slope doesn’t match the south direction. Would it be efficient?

Seriously look into it. Start with the alternator magnet version of self running generators. Then combine that with the power wall. It will put out clean energy 24/7. Especially in energy effecient homes

A version of this for RV's would be great.

see tesla? was that so hard??

Once they get the cost equal to a standard roof install, I'm going to order the system. Heating is always another huge factor.

Looks great, hope it takes off! One way or another when I eventually have to redo my roof I'm definitely going in on this or similar, despite what will likely be modest energy gains living in the PNW.

How many years before the roof tiles will need to be replaced?

Regular shingles are installed offset so the overlap seam is covered by a solid span. Because of the wiring lining up there is no overlap so the seams are all lined up. That can't be great.

How well does it hold up in areas with tropical storms?

"Ugly" - yeah that's my biggest gripe with solar panels. Whenever I fly over the buildings where I live, it's just nasty... (To anyone who thinks I own a small plane and am serious: I don't and I'm not.)

On a standRd shingle roof when you get to the ends and need to cut the panel so it does not go over the edge how is this done. Since they do not seem to overlap

what's the cost per panel (not installed)?

Will I need to replace my existing roof before I put on these panels?

Wonderful innovation GAF! What is the wind rating on these?

The only problem with GAF is that they won't talk to potential installers, or resellers. I don't know if they are operating out of some sort of archaic dealer network or what, but i've repeatedly tried to reach out to them for more information.

Haven’t seen a video of yours in a while. The sliver hair looks good on you Brian

That is sounds great. I am in the Solar industry as a service technician always consider after installation servicing and Remediation. If the vast majority of the industry is not in line with this scope of work you will be stuck with a niche product that no one will like to repair and service if needed.

The downside is the lack of ventilation behind the cells, which will decrease efficiency on hot days and because it's flexible, the durability might be an issue too. I will go for cheap regular panels even if it is a bit more effort to mount them on the roof... It's crazy how much power you can get out off your roof nowadays...

What's the solution for tile roofs?

How is it that this amazing technology does NOT have waaaaaaay more views?!

Sounds great…… given the wildfire problems in the US how is the flammability?

Good report thank you. Extremely interesting product.

Great technology that has a ton of thoughts put into it. Bravo!

Sounds great, but how well do they stand up to hail? Will we have a huge repair bill after a hailstorm?

Great job! GAF I will be keeping an eye on this system….

Amazing! 👏 I would love to work for/with GAF.

Would love if they or anyone else had a solution for roofs with barrel tiles that looked as attractive and inconspicuous.

I'm worried about the durability of the overall unit and fire protection/flammability of the product.

In the UK the use of coolant in the solution means no one will service it or any part of the heating system (looking at you British Gas).

This is a good step. Keep up the research.

How do you get these shingles? Web page not user friendly

Say you need a new roof and decide to install this. I wish they had explained what they do on the edges, corners, etc. where a full panel won't fit. Do you just shingle those areas or do you need to shingle the whole roof under this thing. Is this just practical for simple roofs like the house in the video?

CNET, Please bring back Car Tech, that was the best car review video on RU-vid

It is a series connection right? Then if any one shingle goes dead the whole roof will stop working

What is the life span to a regular roof Shingle and with Texas hot temperatures because we are most of the time above 77 Degrees.

So far not sure if it was said in the vid, but if those connection cables are bare that might be an issue in some places. It might be good to have something like a housing that covers those connections that line up would be a good idea even for just a piece of mind factor, though having these housing able to be popped open for quick checking is not a farfetched idea. I will say this brings the idea of basically making every roof or a home or business into a micro-generator more possible or plausible to come into effect. Though the other side of the issue is well updating the aging grid system to be able to handle that much power transfer both from homes, but also from the power plants across it. An then the last problem less than issue is well the fact that the profits of the entire power generation companies potentially would drop alot if you had that many people generating an sustaining from such a system.

Why is the industry so obsessed with putting these over rooftops? If they did it as a pergola, gazebo, or carport, they could just mass manufacture it as a kit for cheap installation and avoid the structural risks. It would work for most people. More than the fraction of people who happen to need a new roof this year.

The marketing of this product focuses on the low aspect ratio and the ease of application via standard roofing techniques. In California, the light roof load compared to conventional high weight load solar makes it desirable in an earthquake prone state. However, I would be interested to see the electrical connection methodology from solar cell-to-solar cell; series connection? What is the failure mechanism of a line of elements and the panel as an entity? There was some limited discussion of the external circuit connection mechanics and the external electronics but needs more discussion. Interconnection of panel to main line was shown to be a relatively simple process but where are the converters located, what are converter efficiency? What are the resistive losses to get to the converters and the measured voltage drops? How difficult is the process to trouble shoot and isolate a failing panel? How many solar cell lines must fault before the panel becomes ineffective? A video with a bit more electrical information is merited. Finally, after watching all the failures of solar companies and fraudulent claims on RU-vid, much more detail is necessary. Solar companies exposed by News organizations across the country for fraudulent claims, and taking advantage of people with incredible costs with zero power generation and “special contract clauses”, well just be careful. I hope Solar eventually becomes standard but it may be some time. Fingers crossed.

What's the cost per SQ ft of the Gaf solar shingles, and estimated watt rating. If they are that easy to install I would install them myself to save lots of labor cost

Brain got a great demeanour which shakes things up nicely for audience to enjoy even for ordinary stuff.

I wonder if they could just delete the underlaying asphalt shingle and wood sheet. Make these the roof on an open frame attic for maximum thermal air transfer

This guy sounds like Cave Johnson from Portal

wow this would ease all the concerns I currently have with solar. I didn't know exactly how regular solar could affect the roof but I knew it had to have a big effect on the life of it. Well, now I know you can cause leaks or crack the rafters. Hope the cost comes down on these guys

"what's the cost?" guy proceeds to not say the cost of each unit lol

How long before they can get this in Canada. Love the idea.

Just thought of something. Couldn’t you use this as siding or attached to a wall?