What is a rooftop solar energy system?

Rooftop solar energy systems produce power locally, keeping power production and the economic opportunities that solar energy generates within the community. SETO funds research that helps maximize the value of rooftop solar systems for their owners.

Will my roof generate solar energy?

Realistically, your roof’s solar generation potential will be less than that. It’ll likely still exceed your typical household energy needs, but real-world constraints like roof space, sunlight exposure, and equipment specifications play a huge role in your panels’ actual generation.

Is rooftop solar more affordable?

Rooftop solar has never been more affordable for home owners, business owners, and their communities. The shift toward clean, reliable, affordable electricity in the United States is most visible in the rapid proliferation of solar panels mounted on the roofs of homes and businesses.

Are roofs good for solar energy harvesting?

The unique properties of roofs, such as good sunlight incidence, good ventilation conditions, no redundant shielding, and flexible tilt angle for PV panels, are advantageous for solar energy harvesting. Accordingly, roofs present the highest efficiency potential for PV generation systems in buildings (Lin et al., 2014).

Does a rooftop solar system save you money?

Additionally, for homeowners, having a rooftop solar system—just like a renovated kitchen or a finished basement—has been shown to boost home valuation and shorten a home’s time on the market. Pairing your roof replacement and installing solar can save homeowners an average of $4,000.

Are rooftop photovoltaic systems suitable for building roofs?

Their incorporation into building roofs remains hampered by the inherent optical and thermal properties of commercial solar cells, as well as by esthetic, economic, and social constraints. This study reviews research publications on rooftop photovoltaic systems from building to city scale.