External Energy Possibilities For The Home?

[pljames]

Is there any new energy producing product on the market for the home? Can one invent a shingle that is on the top and side of a home that takes sunlight any light wind rain snow cold and heat and transfers it to energy to heat air-condition light there home? [email protected]

[CraigD]

Can one invent a shingle that is on the top and side of a home that takes sunlight any light wind rain snow cold and heat and transfers it to energy to heat air-condition light there home?

"Solar shingles" have been available for over 10 years. They're pretty:

 

In 2010, Dow began producing them, under the "PowerHouse Solar" brand name, in greater numbers than previous niche makers, promising to reduce their price, while a number of finance businesses have undertaken to make them affordable to property owners wishing to install them.

 

My house's asphalt shingles have been in need of replacing for the past couple of years. I'd long hoped to replace them with photovoltaic ones. Unfortunately, after having a feasibility study done by one of the financing businesses I contacted, I learned that given my house's East-West roof orientation and many nearby tall trees, I would get too little electricity from them to justify their cost. :(

 

Solar water heaters have been around for over 100 years, becoming especially popular in the 1970s. They're much less expensive (do-it-yourself systems can be made at practically zero cost) than photovoltaic, though are practically good only for heating, very difficult to use for electric power generation. I've never seen one in shingle/siding form, however - all look essentially like shallow boxes:

[Turtle]

Is there any new energy producing product on the market for the home? Can one invent a shingle that is on the top and side of a home that takes sunlight any light wind rain snow cold and heat and transfers it to energy to heat air-condition light there home? [email protected]

 

i don't know if this product is commercially available or not. i couldn't find it searching. :rant: i did see the design shown though and i have sketched it out below.

 

the shingles/siding are stepped with the more horizontal surfaces painted white, and the more vertical surfaces black. the exact angles are determined by the building's latitude such that during the warmest part of the year the high sun only hits the light parts and is reflected which keeps the building cooler. in the winter when the sun rides lower, it shines on the dark surfaces and warms the building.

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Wow, those are neat...shame they come in regular shingle styles too, I've been wanting the terracotta style shingles for years...but Sweety won't let me have em.