The cool thing about solar panels is that they save you money on electricity and are incredibly “green.” The not so cool thing is that they’re unsightly and incredibly inefficient in converting solar rays into electricity. But they’re getting better. And thanks to Dow Solar Solutions, form is improving right along with function.

Dow has worked out how to not only make solar panels into rooftop shingles but also that they blend in with a house’s existing roof, and cost about forty percent cheaper than the roof top solar tiles we reported on last year. And the best part is, because they are built into the conventional shingle design, there’s no real specialized knowledge required to install. That means that weekend warriors and your average roofer can put these up with the same whack of a hammer and tack nails as they do right now.

And since these cells blend in with the existing roof shingles, those heads of home owners associations (you know, the guys with Napoleonic complexes who get off telling you how to take care of your own property) probably won’t even notice them.

The downside? They’re still only 10% effective, meaning that most of the sunlight won’t power your home. But hey, it’s a start.

Hat Tip – D’Vice