Red or terracotta roof tiles give a building a classic and neat look – until you put blue or black PV panels on it. That is why there are red solar panels available to match the colour of the roof or bricks.
Roof tiles are generally not made in the primary colour red. Thus, an Italian atmosphere can be created with terracotta roof tiles or, on the contrary, more orange-red roof tiles can be chosen. This is not just an aesthetic consideration. A roof with black or anthracite tiles absorbs a lot of heat, causing the building to heat up considerably in summer. A roof tile that is too light quickly becomes dirty, which also does not create a pleasing impression. A red roof tile is a good compromise. Leaves, moss and other dirt are not so noticeable and the warming effect is limited.
The same advantages apply to red, orange and terracotta solar panels as to roof tiles. Besides the fact that PV panels in the colour of the roof are more pleasing and sometimes even mandatory, shades of red are a good compromise. A black panel has a high efficiency level until it heats up too much from the sun. On a light panel, you see dirt quickly. A red coloured solar panel looks neat, and despite weather, wind and rain, it proves highly efficient.
In theory, a blue crystalline PV panel has the highest efficiency. Blue and black are the default colours in the manufacturing process, other colours require an extra step, which reduces the efficiency slightly. Compared to a blue panel, a red coloured panel will have a lower yield, compared to a black panel, this depends in practice on the temperature. At high temperatures, yield and efficiency decrease, a black panel heats up more than a lighter-coloured panel.
Colouring a solar panel red is an extra step in the production process. Whether the solar cells are coloured red or a film that filters colours is applied, in both cases, the price of a red panel is 50% more expensive than a black panel, where a black panel is already 15% more expensive than a blue panel.
Would you like to know more about the possibilities of red, terracotta or orange solar panels? Or would you like an instant quotation for PV panels in the right colour shade? Then get in touch with us.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions
Solar panels in red match a red roof. Red solar panels and roof tiles heat up less than black panels and roof tiles, and dirt such as leaves and moss are less noticeable with a a shade of red.
With red solar panels, the price is 50% higher than a black panel, where a black panel is another 15% more expensive than a blue panel. With a red coloured roof, however, in some municipalities you will only get a permit for similarly coloured panels.
