We thought we’d take a pictorial peek at some innovative residential solar power designs and installations from both today and yesteryear.
Yes, those Spanish tiles (above) are really solar panels from solar innovators US Tile and SRS Energy.
If you like full photovoltaic coverage and a geometric look this design (above) might be for you.
Face the sun and heat that pool with this design (above).
Germany’s Driendl Architects created the Solar Tube House (above) in Vienna a few years ago.
Zulu Electric features these approaches (above) to solar home systems.
Related:
green building category
alternative energy category
RSS
Is it yet cost-effective to install solar roofs?
Most solar panel installations still take 10 or more years to pay off, but there are many variables. Here in the U.S. you can get a significant tax deduction for installing many alternative energy systems. You’ll get a faster return on your solar roof if you’re in a sunny climate, are building a new home and not retrofitting an existing structure and you’re house has been situated to capture the maximum solar energy. Systems vary widely in cost and design and prices are slowly coming down. Innovations are happening as we speak so the pay off period should be shortening – and will also shorten as energy costs from the grid rise.
So are the curved panels on the Austrian tube house the solar panels? That’d be exciting, as I’ve been waiting for solar panels to become a design element, and not just flat things you stick on the roof. Although flat solar on the roof is better than nothing!