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Photovoltaic Roofing Shingles Installed

Bob checks in on the Habitat for Humanity Blitz project in Yonkers, New York. He talks with Deane Evans of the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) about the photovoltaic roof shingles. This new product from United Solar Systems, called the Solar Shingle, protects the house from the weather and generates electricity at the same time. Ren Anderson from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows Bob how to nail the solar shingles on the roof just like conventional three-tab roofing. In this project, eight solar shingles are blended into the conventional fiberglass shingles to provide about 120 watts for charging battery-operated tools and toys in the shed below. Energy storage is provided by a 120 amp/hour battery. Ren hooks up the wires leading from the shingles to the other system components, which include a fuse, voltage regulator, and an inverter (which converts the direct current from the shingles into an alternating current that can be used by typical household appliances). More information