Vientiane Solar Tile Design

What are solar tiles?

Solar tiles are roofing materials that can produce energy directly from sunlight. Solar tiles are integrated into the roof itself and function as both a roofing substance and a source of energy, as opposed to conventional solar panels, which are mounted on top of an existing roof.

Do solar tiles reflect solar energy?

The average reflectance of 0.8 is slightly below the optimum, indicating that the tiles can reflect a significant amount of solar energy, but there is still space for improvement. Solar absorptance, a complementary measure to reflectance, quantifies the amount of solar energy absorbed.

How do solar tiles work?

Solar tiles are integrated into the roof itself and function as both a roofing substance and a source of energy, as opposed to conventional solar panels, which are mounted on top of an existing roof. Photovoltaic cells in solar tiles turn sunlight into direct current (DC) energy.

Can solar roof tiles produce energy?

Research has shown its promise, with firms like Tesla developing solar roof tiles capable of producing up to 22 W per square foot under ideal circumstances. Simultaneously, TGA tiles exploit energy from thermal differentials, often using the Seebeck effect to transform heat gradients into electrical energy.