The world’s first fully integrated solar roof, featuring the brand new C21t solar thermal tile was launched recently by solarcentury.

Identical in size to conventional roof tiles, the award-winning C21e solar electric tiles and the brand new C21t solar thermal tiles together form the Complete Solar Roof, generating electricity and hot water respectively – even in cloudy conditions. They offer a unique patented combination of solar thermal and solar photovoltaic tiles that integrate with standard roof tiles.
The Complete Solar Roof is said to offer significant savings on energy bills to the end-users. A typical system will generate over 60% of the hot water requirements for a three-bedroom home.

The C21e photovoltaic tile uses the most efficient cells available on the market, requiring just 8m2 per kWp and generating 800kWh of electricity per year from this area. Excess electrical energy produced by the C21e can be sold to the national grid. Research by the Energy Savings Trust suggests that lower fuel bills are just part of the appeal and that the majority of homebuyers are prepared to pay up to £10,000 more for a sustainable home.

Other advantages for homeowners, developers and installers include:

• The ability to add C21 tiles to an existing build programme, without the need to redesign the roof.
• Fast installation in a conventional tiled roof by any competent roofer.
• No requirement of additional planning permission, except on listed buildings or in conservation areas, where permission is more likely to be granted than for conventional solar panels.
• The flexibility to use different configurations of tiles to match the user’s heat and power needs.
• No significant change to the appearance of a property due to the dark colour and flush fit of the tiles.
• Generation of emission free electricity and hot water without burning fossil fuels.

The latest member of the C21 family, the C21t thermal tile, captures energy from the sun to warm a fluid. The heat in this fluid is then transferred to the hot water system, reducing overall energy requirements for hot water in the home.

Developers or householders interested in installing the C21e, C21t or the Complete Solar Roof should contact solarcentury on 020 7803 0100 or visit www.solarcentury.com

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The EST survey found nearly 7 out of 10 Britons believe that homes boasting energy saving features are worth paying more money for. Almost half (44%) were willing to pay an additional £5,000 – £10,000 for a green home built to high environmental standards. More information visit www.est.org.uk