Roof Tile Producer Warms To Sales Of Stimulus-Backed Solar Panels

Eagle Roofing Products, Rialto, Calif., and Suntech Power Holding Co., San Francisco, have entered into an agreement whereby Eagle will distribute SolarBlend

Eagle Roofing Products, Rialto, Calif., and Suntech Power Holding Co., San Francisco, have entered into an agreement whereby Eagle will distribute SolarBlend roof tiles to the Suntech roofing, solar, and electrical contractor network. Suntech’s Eagle Solar Roof systems combine the aesthetics and performance of concrete tile with the functional elements of solar panels, the companies note.

With anticipated spring availability, the SolarBlend tiles will be about 4 ft. wide, 50-watt panels, with grey, terra cotta and brown frames. In addition, Eagle Roofing will carry Suntech’s Black Label STP 175s-24/Ab-1 rack-mounted, 175-watt modules. Eagle Roofing officials note that homeowners using the systems will qualify for a 30 percent federal tax credit under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 stimulus plan. Prior to the latest stimulus package, such a tax credit was capped at $2,000, but the cap was removed as part of the new plan.

Eagle Roofing anticipates having the water-resistant solar roof systems on more than 1,000 homes across the country by year’s end, and will continue to train contractors on system sales and installation. According to the producer, the tiles are easy to install on residential, commercial or institutional pitched roofs, and are appropriate for use in new construction or reroof projects. To complement and improve the performance of the Eagle Solar Roof, the company also offers Cool Roof Rating Council- and Energy Star-approved Cool Roof Tile and the Energy Saving Roof concrete tiles.

Eagle Roofing has production and sales operations in Arizona, California and Florida; additional offices and design centers in Colorado, Hawaii, Texas, Oregon and Virginia; and, market reach extending into Canada and Mexico. Suntech is the world’s largest photovoltaic module manufacturer.