Roofers rolling out nailable Timberline Solar energy shingles

Orlando, Fla. — Roofing contractors have started installing the world's first nailable solar shingles, which are being produced in San Jose, Calif., by GAF Energy with plastics that promise a pleasing aesthetic and strong performance.

The sister company of GAF — North America's largest roofing manufacturer — developed a sleek product called Timberline Solar that integrates photovoltaic technology into traditional roofing processes and materials.

Roofers in California, Colorado and the mid-Atlantic states are climbing on board early to offer the so-called energy shingles, which won top awards at CES 2022 in Las Vegas in January and the International Builders' Show in Orlando in February.

Could GAF Energy's shingles be a U.S.-made game-changer that puts solar energy in reach of more homeowners? The industry is watching.

Timberline Solar shingles are less than a quarter-inch thick with a strong, durable PV panel surface and a flexible thermoplastic olefin (TPO) backing that can withstand the weight of work crews, the force of 130-mile winds and the impact of hail and power a house.

"Timberline Solar performs just like a regular GAF roof as far as protection from the elements. The materials selected ensure we can guarantee a 25-year warranty on the product like we do any asphalt shingle that we make," Keally DeWitt, vice president of marketing and public policy at GAF Energy, said at IBS.

DeWitt said she could not offer any details about the proprietary polymer or manufacturing process developed for the energy shingles.

Timberline Solar won a Best of IBS award for the most innovative construction tool following its CES Best of Innovation in the Smart Cities category at the electronics show.

Contractors and homebuilders like the energy shingles because roofing and solar needs can be met in the same installation that is covered by the same warranty, which they equate to better protection physically and financially.

Traditional rack-mounted solar panels often require drilling into the roof membrane, and that can void the roof's warranty.

GAF Energy officials said the company is uniquely positioned to bring residential solar to the mass market as the sister company of GAF, which produces the shingles and products that go on about 1.25 million of the 5 million new roofs installed on U.S. homes every year.

The TPO substrate allows contractors to install Timberline Solar with a nail gun like other shingles, which removes the learning-curve barrier that has hampered solar panels and Tesla's solar roof tiles.

"Although Timberline Solar is available in only select markets today with select roofing contractors, we're expanding everywhere," DeWitt said. "The product is designed [as] such that any contractor could install it and that will help GAF Energy bring solar power to every roof we possibly can."

The energy shingles are produced in a 112,000-square-foot facility that GAF leased and upgraded in May 2021 to house the manufacturing operation and the research and development department. The facility's opening brought more traditionally offshored solar manufacturing to the U.S.

Meanwhile, Tesla is reportedly launching a new solar roof tile that offers greater efficiency and higher power capacity. The development came about as Tesla tries to make its solar products mainstream, according to Electrek.com, which says the new roof tile is the same size with a 22 percent increase in maximum power output. That means Tesla will be able to provide more solar power with fewer solar tiles.

GAF Energy officials can boast the affordability of turning two home improvement projects into one and the ease of installation.

The company's roofer partners do the pricing directly based on size, shading, location and complication of the roof.

GAF Energy President Martin DeBono has used his own home as an example. He says his traditional roof in Northern California cost around $28,000 and the solar panels he installed were about $24,000 for a total price tag of $52,000 — or about $44,000 after rebates and incentives, which can include tax credits. For comparison, DeBono estimated that a GAF Energy solar roof would cost approximately $42,000 and drop to around $30,000 after incentives, saving about $14,000.

As Timberline Solar hits the market, GAF Energy is partnering with roofing contractors in many states, including Fulton, Md.-based American Home Contractors, to start the rollout in Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Delaware; Virginia; West Virginia; Pennsylvania; and New Jersey.

"We know that homeowners want a solar roof, and we believe Timberline Solar is the best on the market," AHC President Joshua Dunevant said in a news release. "Installing a solar roof creates local, good-paying jobs; puts money directly into our economy; helps homeowners save money on energy use; and is a net benefit for entire communities."

GAF and GAF Energy are owned by Standard Industries Inc., a privately held global industrial company headquartered in New York.