A roofing contractor in the US asks for solar shingles. A developer in Europe or Asia asks for solar tiles. Both usually mean a roof covering with solar cells built into it, and the name alone does not tell a buyer what will arrive on the pallet.
Solar shingles and solar roof tiles are both building-integrated PV products that replace part of the roof covering. Solar shingles are flat strip or plank units laid in overlapping courses like asphalt shingles, the common US format. Solar roof tiles are individual units that overlap or interlock among clay, concrete or slate-look tiles, the common European and Asian format.
This guide compares solar shingles and solar roof tiles with two neighbouring options, in-roof modules and rack-mounted panels, using specs a buyer can check: unit size, watts per unit, W/m², kg/m², glass build, waterproofing method, connections per kW, single-unit replacement, fire class and the roof types each suits. It is written for roofing contractors, developers, distributors and architects who have to put one format on a drawing.
What is the difference between solar shingles and solar roof tiles?
The difference between solar shingles and solar roof tiles is mainly format: solar shingles are long, flat course units fixed over a roof deck like asphalt shingles, while solar roof tiles are individual units sized to sit among clay, concrete or slate-look tiles on battens. Both belong to the same product family, building-integrated photovoltaics.
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is the integration of photovoltaic cells directly into building elements such as windows, roof tiles or facade cladding, as defined by the IEA PVPS Task 15 research programme on BIPV. A BIPV roof product has two jobs at once. It keeps the weather out, and it produces electricity.
Market naming follows local roofing habits. North American housing is dominated by asphalt shingle roofs, so the solar version is called a shingle; European and Asian pitched roofs are more often tiled, so the solar version is called a tile. Buyers use the words loosely in both directions, which is why a specification should describe the format and not rely on the name.
Solar shingle: a flat strip or plank BIPV unit laid in courses over a roof deck and underlayment and fixed like an asphalt shingle. The course above overlaps the one below to shed water.
Solar roof tile: an individual BIPV unit shaped and sized to overlap or interlock with neighbouring tiles on battens. It replaces clay, concrete or slate-look tiles unit for unit.
In-roof module: a larger PV module installed in place of the roof covering, inside a flashing frame or tray system that forms the watertight layer around the array.
Rack-mounted panel: a standard PV module clamped to rails on hooks or brackets above an existing, complete roof covering. It is not BIPV, because the roof underneath still does the waterproofing.
LinkSolar supplies the second type: crystalline solar roof tiles in two lengths. The rest of this guide uses those tiles as the worked example. Where a figure for shingles, in-roof modules or rack-mounted panels depends on the individual product, the text says to take it from that product's own datasheet.
Solar roof tile specifications: quick facts
The crystalline solar roof tiles LinkSolar supplies come in two formats that share one construction: 650 × 432 × 22 mm at 43 W and 1208 × 432 × 22 mm at 85 W. Figures in the table are from the supplier datasheet at standard test conditions unless the row is marked as calculated.
| Parameter | 43 W tile | 85 W tile |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 650 × 432 × 22 mm | 1208 × 432 × 22 mm |
| Rated power (Pmax) | 43 W | 85 W |
| Open-circuit voltage (Voc) | 8.2 V | 16.4 V |
| Short-circuit current (Isc) | 6.32 A | 6.32 A |
| Vmp / Imp | 7.0 V / 6.08 A | 14.0 V / 6.08 A |
| Weight | 5.5 kg | 10 kg |
| Gross area (calculated) | 0.281 m² | 0.522 m² |
| Power per gross m² (calculated) | ≈153 W/m² | ≈163 W/m² |
| Weight per gross m² (calculated) | ≈19.6 kg/m² | ≈19.2 kg/m² |
| Glass | 3.2 mm + 3.2 mm double glass | |
| Cells | 182 mm monocrystalline | |
| Junction box and leads | IP67 junction box, MC4 connectors on 45 cm leads | |
| Max system voltage / series fuse | 1000 V / 15 A | |
| NOCT | 45 °C | |
| Temperature coefficient of Pmax / Voc | −0.38 %/°C / −0.36 %/°C | |
| Annual power degradation | ≤0.5 % per year (supplier stated) | |
The calculated rows use the datasheet dimensions. The short tile covers 0.650 m × 0.432 m = 0.281 m², so 43 W ÷ 0.281 m² ≈ 153 W/m² and 5.5 kg ÷ 0.281 m² ≈ 19.6 kg/m².
The long tile covers 1.208 m × 0.432 m = 0.522 m², which gives 85 W ÷ 0.522 m² ≈ 163 W/m² and 10 kg ÷ 0.522 m² ≈ 19.2 kg/m². Both tiles carry the same current, so they differ electrically only in voltage.
The tiles are tested to IEC 61215:2021 and IEC 61730:2016, with test reports available on request.
Solar shingles vs solar roof tiles vs in-roof vs rack-mounted: spec comparison
Solar shingles, solar roof tiles, in-roof modules and rack-mounted panels differ most in three places: how they keep water out, how many electrical units they need per kilowatt, and whether one failed unit can be swapped without disturbing its neighbours. The table compares formats, not companies, and marks every value that must come from the specific product's datasheet.
| Spec | Solar shingle (strip / plank) | Solar roof tile (crystalline, this guide) | In-roof module | Rack-mounted panel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit size | Long, narrow course unit; check the manufacturer datasheet | 650 × 432 mm or 1208 × 432 mm | Close to standard module size; check the datasheet | Standard module sizes; check the datasheet |
| Watts per unit | Check the manufacturer datasheet | 43 W or 85 W | Check the datasheet | Check the datasheet |
| W per m² | Ask for the exposed-area figure | ≈153 to 163 W/m² gross (calculated); ~170 W/m² supplier stated | Check the datasheet | Check the datasheet |
| kg per m² | Check the manufacturer datasheet | ≈19.2 to 19.6 kg/m² (calculated) | Module plus tray or frame; check the datasheet | Module plus rails, added on top of the existing covering |
| Glass build | Glass or polymer front; check the datasheet | 3.2 mm + 3.2 mm glass-glass | Glass-backsheet and glass-glass both used | Glass-backsheet and glass-glass both used |
| Waterproofing method | Strip lap over underlayment | Overlap with neighbouring tiles on battens | Flashing frame or tray around the array | Existing roof stays watertight; each hook flashed |
| Units per kW | 1,000 ÷ W per unit; many small units | 24 (43 W) or 12 (85 W) | Few; 1,000 ÷ W per module | 3 with a 400 W module |
| Single-unit replacement | Depends on fixings; the course above may need lifting | Own junction box per tile; confirm the removal procedure | Usually needs access through the frame system | Unclamp one module from its rails |
| Fire class | Per the roof-covering rating your code requires | Class A per the supplier's IEC 61730 test (supplier stated; report on request) | Per the product and frame system rating | Per the module and racking rating |
| Roof types it suits | Pitched roofs built as deck and underlayment | Pitched tiled roofs on battens, new build or re-roof | Pitched roofs on new build or full re-roof | Any sound roof, including flat roofs |
Two rows decide most projects. The waterproofing row tells you which trade owns the risk, and the units-per-kW row tells you how much electrical work sits on the roof.
What do W/m² and kg/m² mean for a solar roof?
W/m² sets how much roof area a target system needs, and kg/m² sets what the roof structure has to carry. Both are easy to calculate from a datasheet, but manufacturers quote them on different area bases, so check the base before comparing two products.
A 5 kW array of 85 W tiles needs 59 tiles (5,000 ÷ 85 = 58.8, rounded up), which is about 30.8 m² of gross tile area (59 × 0.522 m²). The same 5 kW in 43 W tiles needs 117 tiles (5,000 ÷ 43 = 116.3, rounded up) and about 32.9 m² (117 × 0.281 m²), because the short tile's datasheet power density is lower.
The supplier states about 170 W/m² for this tile line, which is higher than the 153 to 163 W/m² gross figures above. The likely reason is the area base: overlapping tiles hide part of each unit, so power per square metre of finished roof is higher than power per square metre of tile. Ask for the laid (exposed) area per tile from the installation drawing before you calculate roof coverage.
At about 19 to 20 kg/m² of gross tile area, the glass-glass tile's weight is the number a structural engineer will set against the covering it replaces. The comparison should use laid weight per square metre of roof for both products, taken from each manufacturer's laid-area figure.
For the 5 kW example, 59 tiles × 10 kg = 590 kg for the 85 W format, or 117 tiles × 5.5 kg = 643.5 kg for the 43 W format. Those totals exclude battens, clips and the plain tiles that fill the rest of the roof.
For solar shingles, ask the manufacturer for three numbers: watts per unit, exposed area per unit and weight per unit. With those, you can calculate the same two ratios. Without the exposed-area figure, a shingle's W/m² claim cannot be compared with a tile's.
Rated power at standard test conditions is not the power on a hot roof. With a temperature coefficient of −0.38 %/°C, every 10 °C of cell temperature above 25 °C removes 3.8 % of rated output, so a tile whose cells sit at its 45 °C NOCT delivers about 7.6 % less than its label (20 × 0.38 %). NOCT is measured on an open rack, so treat that 7.6 % as a lower bound for an integrated roof.
Integrated products sit close to the roof deck with less air behind them than a rack-mounted panel. Ask any shingle, tile or in-roof supplier for operating-temperature data in the installed condition before you finalise a yield model.
The supplier states annual degradation of no more than 0.5 % per year. On a straight-line reading, that leaves at least 87.5 % of rated power after 25 years (100 % − 25 × 0.5 %), which is the figure to carry into a long-term yield model.
How do solar shingles, tiles and in-roof modules keep water out?
Solar shingles, solar roof tiles and in-roof modules each become part of the roof's weather layer, so the waterproofing method is the first thing a roofer checks. Rack-mounted panels are the exception, because the existing roof stays the weather layer and only the attachment points need sealing.
Strip lap: how solar shingles shed water
Solar shingles use the strip-lap method of asphalt shingles. Each course overlaps the fixings and joints of the course below, over a continuous underlayment on a solid deck.
The electrical connections of a shingle usually run under the overlap, so the lap dimension and the cable route both matter. Confirm the minimum roof pitch the manufacturer allows, because lap-based systems depend on gravity drainage.
Overlap on battens: how solar roof tiles shed water
Solar roof tiles shed water the same way as the plain tiles around them, by overlapping neighbouring units on battens. The supplier describes the crystalline tile line in this guide as having a low-pitch waterproof overlap.
Get the minimum approved pitch in writing for each project, together with the underlayment the roofer plans to use. A roofer will not sign off an overlap detail that nobody has drawn.
Flashing: how in-roof modules and racks seal the roof
In-roof modules rely on a flashing frame or tray system around the array edges and between modules. The frame is part of the product, so it has to come from the same system as the modules.
Rack-mounted panels need one flashed penetration per roof hook, which makes hook layout a waterproofing decision as well as a structural one. Our B2B guide to solar panel racking systems covers rail and hook choices in more detail.
Whatever the format, leaks start at the edges: ridge, eaves, verges, valleys and the joint between solar units and plain tiles. Ask for a drawing of each edge detail before the roofer prices the job, because those details set the labour hours on site.
How many connections per kW, and can one unit be replaced?
Solar roof tiles and solar shingles need far more electrical units per kilowatt than rack-mounted panels, and every unit adds a junction box and a connector pair to the string. That count drives wiring labour, inspection time and the number of places a fault can hide.
With the tiles in this guide, 1 kW takes 24 of the 43 W format (1,000 ÷ 43 = 23.3, rounded up) or 12 of the 85 W format (1,000 ÷ 85 = 11.8, rounded up). A rack-mounted module rated at 400 W reaches the same kilowatt with 3 units (1,000 ÷ 400 = 2.5, rounded up).
Each tile carries its own IP67 junction box and MC4 connectors on 45 cm leads, so neighbouring tiles plug together directly on most layouts. At 12 tiles per kW, the 85 W format halves the connector count of the 43 W format for the same output.
String length: voltage sets the limit
Voltage decides how many tiles fit in one series string. At −10 °C, open-circuit voltage rises by about 12.6 % (35 °C below 25 °C × 0.36 %/°C), so the 43 W tile's 8.2 V becomes about 9.23 V and the 85 W tile's 16.4 V becomes about 18.5 V.
Under the 1000 V maximum system voltage, that allows up to 108 short tiles (1,000 ÷ 9.23) or 54 long tiles (1,000 ÷ 18.5) in one string. In practice the inverter's DC input window usually limits string length first, so size strings against the inverter datasheet and the site's record low temperature.
Replacing a single unit
Because every tile is its own electrical unit, a fault can be traced string by string and then unit by unit. Whether a tile can be lifted out without disturbing its neighbours depends on the overlap and clip design, so ask for the single-unit removal procedure in writing.
Keep a few spare tiles from the same production batch for colour match. Rack-mounted modules remain the easiest to swap, since one module unclamps from its rails without touching the roof covering.
Which should you specify: shingles, tiles, in-roof or rack-mounted?
Specify solar roof tiles for tiled pitched roofs, solar shingles for pitched roofs built as deck and underlayment, in-roof modules where output per square metre matters more than a tile look, and rack-mounted panels for any sound existing roof where appearance is not controlled. The roof covering on the drawings usually decides the format before price does.
| Roof and project | Specify | Deciding spec |
|---|---|---|
| Clay or concrete tile pitched roof, new build or re-roof | Solar roof tiles | Overlap on the same battens as the plain tiles |
| Street-facing roof under a design code or homeowner association | Solar roof tiles or shingles in a matched colour | Colour and profile of the solar area |
| Asphalt-shingle roof on a timber deck, re-roof due | Solar shingles | Strip-lap fixing over underlayment |
| Large pitched roof, yield per m² comes first | In-roof modules | Fewer units and joints per kW |
| Sound existing roof with years of life left | Rack-mounted panels | No re-roof; flashed hooks only |
| Flat or low-slope commercial roof | Rack-mounted, ballasted or fixed | Ballasted or fixed tilt frames |
Appearance is the most common reason to choose an integrated format. The U.S. Department of Energy homeowner's guide to solar notes that BIPV lets owners match solar to its surroundings, and that solar access laws for homeowner associations vary by state.
When the roof keeps its existing covering, the rack-mounted route runs through solar panel brackets and roof mounting hardware. For a flat commercial roof, the flat roof solar mounting sourcing guide compares ballasted and fixed systems.
Choosing between the 43 W and 85 W tile
The 43 W tile gives finer layout around dormers, hips and short roof sections, because it is 650 mm long. The 85 W tile, at 1208 mm, halves the unit and connector count on long uninterrupted runs.
Many roofs use both: long tiles across the main planes, short tiles where the geometry breaks up. Because the two formats share the same 6.08 A operating current, they can sit in one series string, though string voltage then has to be added tile by tile.
Colour and rated power
Colour-matched tiles come in terracotta, grey and black as standard references, with other colours quoted on request. IEA PVPS Task 15 lists the performance and durability of coloured BIPV modules as an active research topic, so treat the 43 W and 85 W ratings as colour-specific until the datasheet for your colour confirms them.
For a non-standard colour, size or finish, our custom solar panel options for colour and size explain what can change and what has to be requoted.
How to specify a solar roof in 6 steps
- Record the roof: covering type, pitch, deck or batten build, and the net roof area available for solar on each plane.
- Pick the format: use the decision table above; for tiles, choose the 43 W, the 85 W or a mix based on the roof geometry.
- Calculate units, area and weight: divide the target watts by watts per unit, then multiply by laid area and unit weight from the datasheet.
- Size the strings: correct Voc for the site's record low temperature and check it against the inverter's DC input window.
- Get the details in writing: minimum pitch, underlayment, edge and transition drawings, and the single-unit removal procedure.
- Order a sample in the target colour: ask for the rated power of that colour and the test reports before the tender goes out.
Where to buy solar shingles or tiles for a project
LinkSolar supplies crystalline solar roof tiles for projects, working as a sourcing partner for roofing contractors, developers, distributors and architects in the 43 W and 85 W formats described in this guide. We do not supply strip-format solar shingles; where a shingle roof is being replaced and battens can be added, the tiles are the format to discuss.
Full specifications, colour references and the project quote form are on the crystalline solar roof tiles project page. The tiles are colour customisable, packed in wooden crates and quoted per project against a roof plan.
Commercial terms are confirmed per project. Minimum order quantity, lead time, unit price and warranty terms are all set out in the project quote.
Samples are paid and quoted on request. A physical tile in the target colour is the fastest way to settle colour and fit with an architect or design panel.
A quote request moves fastest when it includes the following:
- Roof plan or drawings with pitch, covering type and the area set aside for solar
- Target system size in kW, or the number of tiles if already calculated
- Format (43 W, 85 W or a mix) and the colour reference
- Delivery country and port, and the project timeline
To request a quote, send those details through the LinkSolar contact form. The reply will cover format, quantity and the open commercial terms for your project.
Solar shingles FAQ
The solar shingles questions below are the ones buyers ask most often before specifying an integrated roof, answered for solar shingles and solar roof tiles alike.
Are solar shingles worth it?
Solar shingles are worth it when the roof needs replacing anyway and its look is controlled by a design code, homeowner association or client brief, because one product then does the work of both covering and generator. On a sound roof with no appearance constraint, rack-mounted panels avoid a re-roof and need fewer units per kW.
What are the disadvantages of solar shingles and solar roof tiles?
The main disadvantages of solar shingles and solar roof tiles are more electrical units per kW, closer coordination between the roofing and electrical trades, and the need for colour-matched spares. With the tiles in this guide, 1 kW takes 12 to 24 units, against 3 for a 400 W rack-mounted module.
How much does a solar shingle or solar roof tile cost?
The cost of a solar shingle or solar roof tile project depends on units per kW, the covering it replaces, the edge and flashing details, the colour and the electrical labour per unit. For that reason, LinkSolar quotes solar roof tiles per project against a roof plan; there is no fixed price list.
What happened to solar shingles?
Solar shingles are still sold as a roofing format; the question usually follows news of individual product lines being redesigned or withdrawn. For any integrated roof product, check how long the line has been sold and whether matching replacement units will stay available for the life of the roof.
Can solar roof tiles be used on a low-pitch roof?
Solar roof tiles can be used on some low-pitch roofs, and the supplier describes the tile line in this guide as having a low-pitch waterproof overlap. The minimum approved pitch and the matching underlayment should be confirmed in writing for each project before the roofer prices it.