Designed by GAF Energy, Timberline Solar roofing builds solar cells into a standard shingle, which can then be installed with just a nail gun in a quick, two-day installation process. Not only does Timberline Solar generate as much energy as traditional solar panels, but it also forms a waterproof and fireproof barrier to do the job of standard shingles as well, reports Fast Company.
GAF Energy hopes that its new approach to roofing will encourage more homeowners to make the switch to solar energy. To make matters easier for consumers, the company will take care of solar permitting and work with roofers and electricians for efficient installation at half the cost of a Tesla solar roof, according to president Martin DeBono.
“The potential for solar is enormous, but we haven’t come close to meeting it,” says Martin DeBono, president of GAF Energy, which is part of parent company Standard Industries, which also owns GAF. “When you have a heritage in roofing, and you see solar panels going up the same way in 2020 as they were put up in 1990, yeah, you realize there’s an opportunity for innovation.”
The new design, called Timberline Solar, builds solar cells into a standard shingle. “All you need to install the solar shingle is a nail gun,” he says. “It goes up just like a regular shingle that can be nailed on the roof like any other shingle.” It required several rounds of innovation to work—like other shingles, it had to form a waterproof barrier to protect the home. It had to be fireproof. And it had to be something that workers could walk on if they had to access the roof. The engineers worked to find the right material and form to let light through, so the solar cells inside could generate energy, while meeting the other requirements.