Solar Roof is discontinued.
The category is not.
Tesla introduced millions of homeowners to a single idea: instead of installing conventional panels over a finished roof, make solar part of the roof itself. Tesla has now discontinued Solar Roof. The homeowners who wanted one are still building and reroofing houses, and several manufacturers offer — or are introducing — products that integrate solar generation into the roofing system. They are not interchangeable. This guide explains the principal alternatives and where they actually differ.
THE ALTERNATIVES AT A GLANCE — 2026
PRODUCT
INTEGRATED INTO ROOF
PRIMARY ROOFING FORMAT
SOLAR TECHNOLOGY
MARKET POSITION
ICON by VOLTAIC
Yes
Concrete roof tile
Integrated photovoltaic
roof tiles
Available integrated concrete solar roofing
GAF Energy
Timberline Solar
Yes
Asphalt-shingle roofing
Solar roofing / shingles
Established U.S. offering
CertainTeed
Solar Roofing
Yes
Shingle-based roofing
Integrated solar roofing
Established building-products manufacturer
Luma Solar
Yes
Solar roofing
Photovoltaic roof shingles
Integrated solar roofing
SteelX / Midsummer
Yes
Integrated roofing applications
Flexible CIGS thin-film solar
Newly announced for North America; verify current approvals and availability
Conventional solar panels
No
Works with many finished roof types
Rack-mounted photovoltaic modules
Widely available
Product specifications, certifications, availability and installation requirements vary by manufacturer and location. Homeowners should verify current information directly with each manufacturer or an authorized installer before selecting a system.
01 - BACKGROUND
Tesla Solar Roof was a roof, not an attachment.
Tesla Solar Roof differed from a conventional rooftop solar installation because the photovoltaic components were incorporated into the roof itself. Instead of a roof plus solar panels, the concept was solar generation and roofing as one architectural system. That distinction matters when comparing alternatives.
Conventional solar panels remain an excellent and often less expensive way to generate electricity. But homeowners who were considering Tesla Solar Roof were frequently looking for something different — a roof designed from the beginning to incorporate solar while preserving the architecture of the home. That market continues to exist.
02 — CONCRETE TILE
ICON by VOLTAIC
ICON approaches integrated solar roofing through concrete roof tile. The system combines photovoltaic roof tiles with visually coordinating non-solar concrete tiles, so solar generation becomes part of the roof rather than equipment installed above it. ICON is based on the Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions Saxony 900 concrete tile platform.
The architecture decides, not the solar.
Individual ICON tiles generate electricity while surrounding non-solar tiles complete the roofing system. That makes it relevant to custom and luxury residential construction, concrete-tile architecture, Mediterranean, Spanish and contemporary homes, and Florida and other demanding wind and weather markets.
Heat is where integrated solar usually loses.
ICON installs as a ventilated, double-batten assembly with a rear air space, and the concrete moderates heat buildup across the day. The power temperature coefficient is −0.27% per °C, against a typical monocrystalline range nearer −0.30 to −0.40%.
Approved where other solar cannot apply.
ICON carries Florida Building Code approval (FL46604) and is HVHZ approved as a roof assembly rather than as an attachment. Fire is Class A under ASTM E108 / UL 790, hail is Class 4 at 1.75ʺ impact, and 180 mph ultimate design wind speed.
Installed, not announced.
ICON has been installed on homes in multiple U.S. markets. The full permit packet — certifications, code evaluation and test reports — is published rather than summarized.
FIELD RECORD
Power per tile
17.5 W
Per roofing square
1,540 W
Installed weight
9.4 lb/ft²
Ultimate design wind speed
180 mph
Fire / hail
Class A / Class 4
Florida approval
FL46604, HVHZ
Roof / power warranty
25 yr / 25 yr
+9%
YEAR 10 VS. YEAR 1 — SAME CALENDAR DAY
Elsa Soltak residence, in service since 2016 under freeze-thaw, UV and severe temperature swings. 39.35 kWh on 8/14/16; 42.99 kWh on 7/14/26; best clear day 44.50 kWh in 2023. Eleven sameday readings from the owner's monitoring records, measured degradation under 0.5% per year. The low years — 2019, 2020 and 2025 — are documented cloudy days and are visible in the irradiance curves.
03 - ASPHALT SHINGLE
GAF Energy Timberline Solar
GAF Energy takes a different approach. Timberline Solar integrates photovoltaic components into an asphalt-shingle roofing system, which makes it relevant for homeowners who already prefer or plan to install an asphalt-shingle roof.
Because asphalt shingles represent a substantial portion of the U.S. residential roofing market, the GAF approach allows solar roofing to fit within a familiar roofing construction method. For a homeowner whose architectural plans call for an asphalt-shingle roof, Timberline Solar is a logical product to evaluate.
04 - SHINGLE-BASED
CertainTeed Solar Roofing
CertainTeed offers solar roofing solutions intended to integrate photovoltaic generation more closely with conventional roofing. Its long history in building materials and roofing gives it an established presence in the industry.
Homeowners considering CertainTeed should evaluate the specific solar roofing product available in their market, its compatibility with the planned roofing system, and local installer availability.
05 - SOLAR SHINGLE
Luma Solar
Luma Solar produces building-integrated photovoltaic roofing products designed to replace portions of the roof with electricity-producing solar shingles. The system provides another alternative for homeowners seeking a lower-profile installation than conventional rack-mounted panels.
As with any integrated solar roofing product, homeowners should consider architecture, roof design, electrical requirements, installer availability, applicable approvals and total installed cost when evaluating Luma.
06 - THIN FILM
SteelX Solar Power / Midsummer
SteelX Solar Power is one of the newest entrants into the North American integrated solar roofing market. In September 2026, SteelX announced a partnership with Swedish solar manufacturer Midsummer to bring Midsummer's lightweight, flexible thin-film technology to North American residential and commercial construction.
The technology differs substantially from conventional crystalline-silicon panels and from solar shingles or concrete solar roof tiles. Midsummer manufactures flexible CIGS — copper indium gallium selenide — thin-film solar products designed for integration with roofing materials while minimizing weight and avoiding conventional racking. SteelX describes its residential approach as integrating solar directly into the roofing system without racks or roof penetrations.
The announcement is noteworthy because it introduces another approach to a rapidly changing market following Tesla's decision to discontinue Solar Roof. It is also newly announced. Homeowners, architects, builders and contractors considering the system should verify current North American product availability, applicable certifications and code approvals, installation requirements, warranties and authorized installer availability directly with the manufacturer. VOLTAIC will continue to follow its development as the market evolves.
07 - CONVENTIONAL SOLAR
For many homeowners, conventional panels are still the right answer.
Conventional panels are widely available, can be installed by thousands of solar contractors, and will often provide solar generation at a lower cost than an integrated solar roof. A homeowner primarily interested in maximizing electricity production per dollar should absolutely consider them.
Integrated solar roofing serves a different customer. It is generally most compelling when the homeowner is already replacing or constructing a roof and places significant value on architecture, roofing material, and eliminating the appearance of conventional panels mounted above the roof.
08 - CHOOSING
There is no single replacement. There is a right roof.
Today's integrated solar roofing products use different materials, technologies and construction methods, so the better question is what kind of roof the project calls for.
If the home is designed around asphalt shingles, products built specifically for asphalt roofing deserve consideration. If the project calls for solar shingles, manufacturers specializing in that format should be evaluated. If the home calls for a premium concrete tile roof, ICON by VOLTAIC integrates photovoltaic generation into a concrete tile roofing system. Emerging thin-film technologies such as the newly announced SteelX/Midsummer offering represent another approach worth watching as North American availability and approvals develop. And if architectural integration is not important, conventional panels may remain the most economical solution.
The best solution depends on the roof, architecture, location, energy requirements and priorities of the homeowner.
09 - TERMINOLOGY
Solar shingles and solar roof tiles are not the same thing.
The terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Solar shingles generally integrate photovoltaic generation into roofing systems associated with conventional shingle construction. Solar roof tiles can use a different roofing material and installation method — ICON, for example, integrates photovoltaic technology into a system built around concrete roof tile.
The distinction matters architecturally. A homeowner designing a Mediterranean, Spanish, modern luxury or concrete-tile home may have very different roofing requirements from someone building for asphalt shingles. The solar technology should fit the architecture — not require the architecture to fit the solar technology.
10 - THE PRIOR DECISION
The first question is not which integrated roof. It is whether.
Conventional solar may make more sense when:
The existing roof is relatively new
Lowest solar cost is the primary objective
Architectural appearance is less important
The homeowner does not need a new roof
Integrated solar roofing may make more sense when:
A new roof is already required
The home is under construction
Architecture is particularly important
Conventional panels should not be visible above the roof
Roofing and solar are being designed together
Neither approach is universally better. They solve different problems.
11 - DILIGENCE
Questions to ask before choosing an alternative.
Is this primarily a roofing product, a solar product, or truly an integrated system?
What roofing material does the system use, and how will the solar and non-solar portions look together?
What certifications and code approvals apply in my location?
Who installs the roofing portion of the system, and who installs and commissions the electrical?
How is the system serviced if an individual solar component needs replacement?
What inverter and battery systems are compatible with it?
What warranties apply to the roofing material, the photovoltaic components and the installation?
Is the product currently available in my market?
Does the manufacturer have completed installations using the current product?
12 - THE CATEGORY
Tesla built the awareness. The category continues.
Tesla deserves substantial credit for bringing integrated solar roofing into mainstream public awareness. Solar Roof demonstrated that homeowners wanted something beyond conventional rooftop panels, particularly when designing or reroofing architecturally significant homes. Tesla's departure from the category does not eliminate that demand.
It means homeowners, builders, architects and roofing contractors now need to understand the other technologies available and determine which approach is appropriate for each project. The continued development of products from established manufacturers — and the arrival of new technologies such as SteelX/Midsummer — demonstrates that integrated solar roofing is broader than any single manufacturer.
VOLTAIC believes roofing and photovoltaic technology will continue to converge. Our objective is not simply to manufacture an integrated solar roof. It is to help homeowners, contractors, architects and builders understand the category and make informed decisions about which technology is appropriate for their projects.