Solar Roofing Innovation
Jackery's S-Tile Solar Shingle May Outshine Tesla
New solar s-tile unveiled at CES offers an elegant profile even squares will go gaga over
With a sleek design that mirrors traditional S-tile, Jackery’s XBC curved solar shingles, which debuted earlier this month at the annual CES trade show in Las Vegas have tongues wagging should the hype live up to the company’s touted 25% power generation capacity and relatively low cost.
— Images courtesy of Jackery
At this year’s CES show in Las Vegas, which took place Jan 6-9, Silicon Valley-based solar generator company Jackery may have stolen the show after introducing Americans to an elegant solar roof tile that mimics the classic S-tile synonymous with Spanish colonial roofs.
Jackery’s XBC curved solar shingles, which debuted in North America during CES 2025, come in terracotta or obsidian and are designed to match some of the country's most common house styles. The company said more colors would follow.
While solar shingles have long existed in the U.S., these beauties are the first with that ‘wavy aesthetic’ every homeowner in South Florida would happily have crowned their castles. Regarding curb appeal, they appear to have the chops to stand toe-to-toe with Tesla’s ballyhooed but exceedingly pricey roof system.
As the tech website Engadget offered in a delightfully snarky review, Jackery’s new offering may have caused HOA presidents everywhere to lose one more excuse for preventing your rooftop solar installation.
The solar tiles boast an efficiency that exceeds 25% and a power generation capacity of 15.73 watts per square foot or 170 watts per square meter (depending on your measurement preference), putting it on the high end of solar panel efficiency. The company says they are suitable for both residential and commercial use.
Lab testing on the Maxeon 7, the best product currently on the market, shows 24.9% cell conversion efficiency and real-world efficiency at 24.1%.
CNET offered that if the Jackery solar roof can hit 25% in real-world usage, it would make the product the most efficient solar cell yet.
Made from ultra-thin 0.13mm crystalline silicon solar cells, the XBC combines high performance with aesthetic appeal. The 150° Smile Curve and 35mm bending height allow for elegant integration, which Jackery says can be added to existing roof tiles weighing about 10 pounds each.
The new tiles are also designed to withstand extreme weather, including hail, high winds, and temperatures from -40°F to 185°F. They use a modular design for flexible maintenance and come with a 30-year warranty from Jackery.
The Solar Roof is expected to cost between $7,000 and $20,000 on average, with installation costs estimated at $5,000 to $7,000 in the U.S. By comparison, a Tesla solar roof system can range from $40,000 to over $100,000 or even higher, depending on the size and complexity of the roof.
Jackery hasn't revealed when the solar roof will be ready for sale but expects it to be released sometime in 2025.
The Jackery Solar Roof system integrates with the company’s existing in-home solar solutions, including the HomePower Inverter, Battery, Hub and Hub Plus, and the Solar Generator 5000 Plus and Smart Transfer Switch Kit.
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Bryan Gottlieb is the online editor at Engineering News-Record (ENR).
Gottlieb is a five-time Society of Professional Journalists Excellence in Journalism award winner with more than a decade of experience covering business, construction, and community issues. He has worked at Adweek, managed a community newsroom in Santa Monica, Calif., and reported on finance, law, and real estate for the San Diego Daily Transcript. He later served as editor-in-chief of the Detroit Metro Times and was managing editor at Roofing Contractor, where he helped shape national industry coverage.
Gottlieb covers breaking news, large-scale infrastructure projects, new products and business.
email gottliebb@enr.com | office: (248) 786-1591
