Why are more roofs not made of solar tiles?

From installer to instructor, Kate Collardson has a long history in solar systems. Some people in the US "still hate the look of solar," she acknowledges. Collardson handles operations for the Solar Service of Colorado, a solar maintenance and inspection company. She's also held just about every other job in the industry, from installer to instructor.

For those that dislike the appearance of traditional solar panels, an alternative is a solar roof, where the tiles or shingles house solar cells but resemble regular tiles. This is particularly important for historic buildings, where heritage rules limit changes to their appearance.

Many people first heard of this product category in August, when Tesla's website stopped offering solar roofs. This decision followed disappointing sales and a lawsuit over sudden price hikes. Other companies have also exited the market, but Tesla's move sent shockwaves through the solar roof industry. Some view it as a death knell for solar tiles; others see it as an opportunity.

For instance, the small Swiss company Freesuns is considering expanding to the US. Deborah Learoyd, Freesuns' CEO and managing director, estimates that the company's sales have grown 20–30% since its establishment in 2019. In general, solar roof components continue to be manufactured in smaller batches, limiting economies of scale and standardization. Learoyd notes that while the unit costs for Freesuns' products are slowly decreasing, "a lot of the cost is actually the fact that every roof is a little bit different. And so it has to be engineered a little bit differently, installed a little bit differently."