Ever wish you could just stick some solar panels on your roof? Yeah, not likely you have, but whether you have wished that or not, the truth is you can.
Lumeta Inc. is one company that has developed “peel ‘n stick” solar panels that are available for use on homes or other buildings.
The PowerPly 400 panels use monocrystalline technology (a material commonly used in photovoltaic solar cells) and can be installed in 60% of the time required to install a tradition solar PV system. Additionally, there is no need to mount racks and labor costs can be reduced by up to 50%.
As you could easily presume, these solar panels weigh considerably less as well, 40% less. This, combined with low-height design, prevents water from pooling on the roof, something that can ruin both roofs and modules.
Concerned about if the solar panels are sticky enough? Don’t be. CalFinder Solar reports that “the ‘sticky’ properties of this adhesive, which is compatible with metals, modified bitumens (tar) and single-ply roofing membranes, exceed all wind uplift requirements for roof-mounted solar modules.”
Of course, these solar panels are quite easy to install. Lumeta details the installation process with a short video right on their site. And as they write, it just requires these 7 steps:
- Mark the array with chalk lines prior to installation
- Peel the release paper off of the butyl adhesive and lower module
- Adhere module to roof, applying firm pressure with a broom
- Repeat steps 1 through 3 until all modules are installed
- Line up battens or Oly Blocks between junction boxes and thread wire
- Connect the wires to the junction boxes
- Complete electrical assembly as you would any PV system
Currently, these solar panels can only be purchased directly from Lumeta and only in quantities greater than 250 kW.
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