Solar Roof vs. Traditional Rooftop Solar Panels
Rooftop solar panels are mounted on racking above a roof that's already there. A solar roof is the roof, with the solar built into some of its panels. If your roof is in good shape, panels are usually simpler. If you're building or replacing the roof anyway, a solar roof is worth pricing alongside.
Side by side
| Solar roof | Rooftop solar panels | |
|---|---|---|
| What you're buying | A roof that generates | A solar array for an existing roof |
| Right moment | New build or full roof replacement | When the current roof has plenty of life left |
| Appearance | Solar sits in the plane of the roof | Panels sit above the roof on racking |
| Installation | Roofer and electrician on one plan | Solar installer |
| Choice of products | The system you choose sets the options | Wide range of panels and racking |
| Later roof repairs | One system to maintain | Panels may have to be lifted and refitted |
| Fair price comparison | New roof plus solar array | Solar array only |
Things a Canadian owner tends to ask
How does snow come off it? What happens at the eaves in a freeze and thaw? Does the municipality or the utility treat it differently from ordinary panels? These are fair questions and they have specific answers for a specific product in a specific place. Ask for the documentation for your location before you decide on either option, and compare the answers.
Our honest steer
If your roof has ten good years in it, don't replace it for this. If it's due, or the building doesn't exist yet, get both options laid out and priced on your actual roof and go and look at finished examples of each.
Best for
- New homes and buildings
- Roofs that are due for replacement
- Owners who'd prefer no racking above the roofline
May not be best for
- A sound roof with years left
- Anyone set on a particular panel brand
- Heavily shaded or very broken-up roofs
Questions we get asked
Which generates more?
That depends on the products and the roof: generating area, orientation and shade. Compare the two designs for your roof.
Which costs more?
Compare a solar roof with a new roof and a solar array together, since it replaces both. A quotation for your project is the only reliable number, so ask us for one.
Can I see one?
Our projects page shows completed SolRoof installations in Europe.