That breakthrough is here today.

Manufacturers are now replacing some traditional building materials with roofing or siding materials integrating photovoltaic (PV) cells into their basic design. While the idea isn't really that new-building-integrated PV systems have been used in some homes and commercial buildings since the early 1980s -- recent successful developments and laboratory improvements have attracted the interest of PV manufacturers worldwide.

The enormous benefits of these systems are readily apparent. First is the location. If you're going to use a system like photovoltaics to produce electricity, you need to put it somewhere. Why not on the roof where it can be part of the shingles providing protection for the house without taking up any additional space? Next are aesthetic concerns. These are now moot issues with a building-integrated system, since the PV shingles closely match the look of a standard roof and draw very little attention because of their consistent, attractive look. Finally, there are the economics, which may be the best benefit of all. Because a building needs a roof anyway, these special shingles offset the cost of some materials, and require no special installation -- they're installed just like conventional shingles.

One energy expert has estimated that photovoltaic shingles on just one-third of an average home getting six hours of sunlight per day would receive enough energy to power the home. Think of the potential power that could be generated from systems like these on the empty roofs of homes and businesses!

Other companies are specializing in siding on the south face of the building to generate electricity. And solar glass, available on the sunroofs of many automobiles to power vent fans or trickle-charge the car battery, is now being integrated into window glass. Many office buildings of the future will have their windows generating electricity.

Since 1992, when the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) introduced a cost-sharing program called Building Opportunities in the U.S. for Photovoltaics, manufacturers have been working to develop these products. Now with the products economically offering easy installation, good looks, and reliable power-generating capabilities, the technology may soon see widespread usage around the world.

Want to know more about the use of building-integrated photovoltaic systems for homes and commercial buildings? Call DOE's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Customer Service Center at 800-363-3732, or write the Solar Energy Research and Education Foundation, P.O. Box 1036, Washington, D.C. 20013 (or get information on-line at http://www.crest.org). (NAPSI)