Solar panels have been around for several decades now, but they have become increasingly popular in recent years. Programs and tax incentives make solar panel installation more feasible, and homeowners can also get the benefit of saving money on their utilities and having a positive effect on the environment.

However, the installation of solar panels also gives the home a drastic new look. Panels are typically installed on racks attached to the roof, and homeowners may not be pleased with the resulting mix of shingles and photovoltaic technology.

Solar shingles aim to provide a compromise for homeowners who want the benefits of solar power but would like it to be unobtrusive. By combining solar panels with roofing material, solar shingles can provide a home with power while giving the roof a more traditional appearance.

Solar shingles are a type of building-integrated photovoltaic, or building material that integrates solar power. Keith Pandolfi, writing for This Old House, says the photovoltaic technology is combined with a typical roofing shingle, which can be made of materials such as asphalt, slate, or metal.

Instead of using a larger panel, solar shingles are laminated with a thin copper indium gallium diselenide layer.  The home sustainability site Modernize says this semiconductor capture solar energy, which can be channeled to create a current and create electricity.

While older types of solar shingles required more complex wiring, newer options simply fit together. Joe Provey, writing for the home improvement professional Bob Vila, says each single has both a plug and receptacle to connect the shingles. A roofer is able to install the shingles, while an electrician is responsible for connecting them to the home's electrical system.

Since solar shingles use the same materials as non-solar shingles, they retain the same benefits such as durability, light weight, and easy installation. The shingles are also able to withstand weather hazards such as rain and hail. However, the roof deck should have proper air circulation and be resilient enough to withstand the heat of the solar shingles.

While you don't need to cover your entire roof with solar shingles, using them more extensively will result in more power generation. Modernize says solar shingles typically produce 13 to 63 watts each, though Pandolfi says some may produce up to 200 watts.

By calculating the energy production of each shingle and comparing it to your typical electricity use, you can determine how many shingles you would need to make your home self-sustaining. You'll still need to be connected to the power grid so you'll have a source of energy for nighttime and for cloudy days. But if you produce more energy than you use, this electricity can be directed into the larger power grid and sold to the utility company.

The savings on your electric costs can help offset the costs of installing the solar shingles. Modernize says buyers are also likely to pay a premium for solar systems when you sell your home.

As with any solar power installation, you should consider where you're most likely to benefit from the sunshine. Provey says the shingles will get the most exposure to sunlight on roofs facing to the south, although they also work well with southeast or southwest exposure. The roof should have an unshaded area of at least 250 square feet on which to install the shingles.

While solar panels can be angled to the ideal configuration for capturing sunlight, solar shingles do not have this ability. As such, shingles will only work well if the roof is already pitched in such a way that it has good exposure to the sun.

One disadvantage to solar shingles is their efficiency. According to the Department of Energy, copper indium gallium diselenide films used on commercial products usually have an efficiency of 12 to 14 percent. Modernize says homeowners can currently realize higher efficiency from solar panels than they can from solar shingles.

Since solar shingles are less efficient than solar panels, it might be more cost-effective to install the latter option. Although photovoltaic films are cheaper to produce, you'll need to cover a wider area of the roof with solar shingles to realize the same energy savings you could get from solar panels covering a smaller area.

It's also unclear how long solar shingles will last before they need to be replaced. The technology only dates back to 2005, so even the oldest installations have only been around for a little more than a decade.

If your shingles still have a lifespan of several more years, you might not want to remove them just to install solar shingles. However, this system does present an alternative to regular shingles if you are already planning to do work on your roof.

Solar shingles will give your roof a seamless appearance and allow you to benefit from clean energy. However, you'll need to compare its advantages and disadvantages to those of solar panels to see which option works best for you.