Solar installations are often called solar roofing because the installations are structurally integrated into the homes' roofs. Because they're like roofs and not like ground-mounted systems, they have to work in the kinds of places where roofs work. Houses, which are mostly made of shade, shadows, and roofs, use energy in ways that ground-mounted systems can't replicate. So, if there were no such thing as solar roofing, there might very well be no such thing as solar homes. And even with solar roofing, not every house is a solar house. Most home styles and roof types can accommodate some kind of PV panels, but the functional efficiency of those panels is what makes a house a solar house. § 4. Summary and Relevance
Various forms of solar panels exist, each serving different purposes and price points. Monocrystalline panels, which make up the majority of panels used today, have a more efficient energy conversion and require less space than others, making them the go-to for many people with smaller roofs. Their higher price tends to scare some buyers off, but when you consider that they can last for 25 years, their longevity becomes another point in their favor. Meanwhile, polycrystalline panels are a cost-effective solution; they perform well in terms of efficiency, but they cost far less than their counterparts. Thin-film panels, while on the wane (SunPower recently discontinued its line) and the least efficient, are flexible and lightweight, making them better in certain cases than the other types.
Beyond the solar panels, your inverter and mounting system are two more vital components of your solar system that need to be chosen with care. The inverter, which in most cases will be a "string inverter," but can also be a "microinverter," must be appropriate for your array's layout and your roof's performance. An inverter that is not well-matched to your roof or array can lose up to 40% in efficiency over the course of a year. Your mounting system must be in clear alignment with your roof's pitch and its materials, so it can be nailed to your roof and to your roof's structure in a way that will last (the system will have to perform for at least 30 years, which is the warranty period for most solar panels).
