Solar energy roof tile, solar energy system and method for obtaining energy from solar radiation

Abstract

A solar energy roof tile, thermally and/or electrically conductively connected to an adjacent solar energy roof tile, includes a lower face for placing on at least some regions of a roof construction, an upper face opposite the lower face formed at least in some regions by a solar energy utilisation module, two opposite lateral walls, a rear face connecting the lateral walls, and a front face opposite the rear face that connects the lateral walls. The two lateral walls, the rear face and front face together connect the lower and upper faces, such that a cavity is formed between the two lateral walls, the rear face, front face, and lower and upper faces. The lower face has, in the region of the front face, a lower opening for providing access. The upper face has, in the region of the rear face, an upper opening for providing access into the cavity.

Claims

1. A solar energy roof tile, which can be thermally and/or electrically conductively connected to an adjacent solar energy roof tile, the solar energy roof tile comprising: a lower face for placing on at least some regions of a roof structure, an upper face opposite the lower face, said upper face being formed at least in some regions by a solar energy utilisation module, two opposite lateral walls, a rear face connecting the two lateral walls, and a front face opposite the rear face that also connects the two lateral walls, wherein the two lateral walls, the rear face and the front face together connect the lower face and the upper face, such that a cavity is formed between the two lateral walls, the rear face, the front face, the lower face and the upper face, wherein the lower face has, in the region of the front face, a lower opening for providing access and the upper face has, in the region of the rear face, an upper opening for providing access into the cavity from the surroundings, wherein the upper face has a covering configured to be movable in a longitudinal direction running from the front face to the rear face, wherein movability of the covering is maintained in an installed state.

2. The solar energy roof tile according to claim 1, wherein the solar energy roof tile is designed as a photovoltaic roof tile configured for obtaining electrical energy from solar radiation and that the solar energy utilisation module is designed as a photovoltaic module.

3. The solar energy roof tile according to claim 1, wherein the solar energy roof tile is designed as a solar thermal energy roof tile for obtaining thermal energy from solar radiation and that the solar energy utilisation module is designed as a solar thermal energy module.

4. The solar energy roof tile according to claim 1, wherein the solar energy roof tile is designed as a combined roof tile for obtaining electrical and thermal energy from solar radiation and that the solar energy utilisation module is designed as both a photovoltaic module and a solar thermal energy module.

5. The solar energy roof tile according to claim 1, wherein the lower opening is formed as an inlet opening for ambient air flowing into the cavity from the surroundings and the upper opening as an outlet opening for the ambient air from the cavity.

6. The solar energy roof tile according to claim 1, wherein the lower face is essentially formed by a metal base plate and the metal base plate has at least one metal plate tab, in the region of the lower opening.

7. The solar energy roof tile according to claim 6, wherein in an initial state of the solar energy roof tile, the metal plate tab extends essentially parallel to a ground plane of the metal base plate, and that, in the installed state when the solar energy roof tile is installed on a roof, the metal plate tab has a vertical section which runs essentially perpendicular to the ground plane and a horizontal section connected to the vertical section and runs essentially parallel to the ground plane.

8. The solar energy roof tile according to claim 6, wherein the metal plate tab has a plurality of bores spaced at regular intervals.

9. The solar energy roof tile according to claim 1, wherein the front face is designed to be pivotable, so that in an installed state the cavity is configured to be accessed from the outside.

10. A solar energy system comprising at least two interconnected solar energy roof tiles according to claim 1, wherein the upper opening of the solar energy roof tile arranged underneath in an installed state is at least partially aligned with the lower opening of the solar energy roof tile arranged on top in the installed state.

11. The solar energy system according to claim 10, wherein a consumer, in the form of a heat pump or heat exchanger, which uses the heat energy provided by the heated ambient air is directly connected to the upper opening of the solar energy roof tile that is arranged uppermost in the installed state.

12. The solar energy system according to claim 10, wherein a potential equalisation element is provided, which potential equalisation element extends at least partially at least through the two lower faces of the at least two interconnected solar energy roof tiles, the potential equalisation element being arranged such that the potential equalisation element connects a metal base plate of the solar energy roof tile arranged underneath in an installed state to a metal plate tab of the solar energy roof tile arranged above in the installed state.

13. A method for obtaining energy from solar radiation and simultaneously utilising a waste heat, wherein by a solar energy roof tile, according to claim 1, thermal and/or electrical energy is produced from solar radiation using a solar energy utilisation module and waste heat thereby generated due to heating of the solar energy utilisation module is discharged to ambient air flowing past and heated ambient air is delivered to a consumer, in the form of a heat pump or heat exchanger.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of solar energy roof tiles, are provided and mounted on a roof structure, that ambient air is drawn in by the solar energy roof tile located at the bottom in the installed state, that the ambient air drawn in is fed through the outlet opening and the inlet opening of respective adjacent solar energy roof tiles through the cavities of the adjacent solar energy roof tiles, and that the heated ambient air is drawn from the solar energy roof tile arranged uppermost in the installed state and fed to a consumer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The disclosure will be explained in further detail by reference to the attached drawings. These show a preferred exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, which is not intended to limit the disclosure to the features shown. Shown are:

(2) FIG. 1: a solar energy roof tile according to the disclosure in the form of a photovoltaic roof tile in an exploded view,

(3) FIG. 2: the photovoltaic roof tile from FIG. 1 in an assembled state in a plan view,

(4) FIG. 3: the photovoltaic roof tile according to FIG. 2 in a perspective view from below,

(5) FIG. 4: the photovoltaic roof tile according to FIG. 2 in a side view,

(6) FIG. 5: the photovoltaic roof tile according to FIG. 2 in a frontal view,

(7) FIG. 6: the photovoltaic roof tile according to FIG. 5 in longitudinal section according to the cutting lines A-A, wherein a detail enlargement is additionally shown,

(8) FIG. 7: a solar energy roof tile according to the disclosure in the form of a photovoltaic roof tile in an exploded view,

(9) FIG. 8 a detail of a roof covered with solar energy roof tiles in the form of photovoltaic roof tiles in plan view,

(10) FIG. 9 a further exemplary embodiment of a proposed solar energy roof tile in the form of a photovoltaic roof tile;

(11) FIG. 10 the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 9, shown in an installed state,

(12) FIG. 11 side views of the drawings from FIG. 9 (in view a) of FIG. 11), as well as from FIG. 10 (in view b) of FIG. 11), and

(13) FIG. 12 a side view of several adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles according to FIGS. 8 to 11 installed on a roof (in view a) of FIG. 12), also in an enlarged detail view B (in view b) of FIG. 12).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(14) In the following, the disclosure is discussed using the example of a photovoltaic roof tile. The disclosure is not limited to this type of solar energy roof tile, however. The advantages also arise in particular with solar thermal roof tiles and also with combined roof tiles which use photovoltaic and solar thermal energy. In particular, the following advantages relating to the production of electrical connections in photovoltaic roof tiles are also transferable to the production of thermal connections between adjacent solar thermal roof tiles. In the case of solar thermal roof tiles, fluid lines are provided instead of electrical lines. Accordingly, instead of electrical connections, coupling elements are required for connecting the fluid-carrying pipes, which are connected to each other in the same way as the electrical connections when laying the roof tiles.

(15) FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a photovoltaic roof tile 1 according to the disclosure in an exploded view. The photovoltaic roof tile 1 first comprises a basic framework shown at the bottom. For example, the photovoltaic roof tile 1 comprises a lower face 2 (indicated by the arrow), which is essentially formed by the metal base plate 3. The lower face 2 is used to support the photovoltaic roof tile 1, at least in some sections, on a roof structure, not shown. In addition, the photovoltaic roof tile 1 has a front face 4, two opposite lateral walls 5 and 6, and a rear face 7 opposite the front face 4. The front face 4 and the rear face 7 connect the two lateral walls 5, 6 to each other.

(16) Furthermore, the photovoltaic roof tile 1 has an upper face 8, which is essentially formed from the glass package 9. Part of this glass package 9 is, among other things, a photovoltaic module that generates electrical energy from solar radiation in the known manner. The upper face 8 and the lower face 2 connect together the two lateral walls 5, 6, the rear face 7 and the front face 4 so that a cavity 10 is formed in the photovoltaic roof tile 1.

(17) The upper face 8 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 is not completely closed by the glass package 8. As shown in FIG. 2, which shows a plan view of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 from FIG. 1 in an installed state, the upper face 8 has an outlet opening 11 in the region of the rear face 7. This outlet opening 11 makes the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 accessible from the outside.

(18) The glass package 9 forms a covering for the photovoltaic roof tile 1. This covering partially closes off the cavity 10 on the upper face 8 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1. The outlet opening 11 is formed by the part that is not closed off by the glass package 9.

(19) The position of the outlet opening 11 in the upper side 8 is variable because the covering or the glass package 9 is designed to be displaceable along a longitudinal direction L running from the front face 4 to the rear face 7. From the state shown in FIG. 2, the glass package 9 can be shifted in the longitudinal direction L, so that the outlet opening 11 is reduced in size. At the same time, however, this will allow further access to the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1. By displacing the glass package 9 on the upper face 8 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1, the cavity 10 is also made accessible from the outside near the front face 4. The ability to displace the covering or the glass package 9 thus facilitates installation or maintenance work, because the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 can thus be made accessible from the outside at different points as required.

(20) As shown in FIG. 1, the lower face 2 also comprises an opening in the form of the inlet opening 12. The cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 can also be accessed from the outside via this inlet opening 12.

(21) Essential to the present disclosure is the finding that the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 can be used due to the fact that it is now accessible from the outside by means of the mentioned openings, inlet opening 12 and outlet opening 11. Thus, the inlet opening 12 serves to allow ambient air flowing from the surroundings U to enter the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1. There, this ambient air then flows in the direction of the outlet opening 11 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1. On this flow path, the ambient air passes through, among other things, the glass package 9 or the photovoltaic module, which heats up strongly during operation. The energy from this heating is utilised by releasing the waste heat to the ambient air flowing through the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1. The ambient air heated in this way can be exploited technically, for example, in heat pumps or other consumers downstream of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1.

(22) For this purpose, several photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can be connected in series, from bottom to top as seen on a roof structure, so that the outlet opening 11 of a lower photovoltaic roof tile 1 is always brought into alignment with the inlet opening 12 of an adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1 arranged above it. Several photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can also be provided laterally adjacently on a roof. For this purpose, laterally adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can be connected to each other at least in a positive-fitting manner via the support section 13 provided on the lateral wall 5 and the clamping section 14 provided on the lateral wall 6. The photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can also be connected together laterally to standard roof tiles. For this purpose, the commercially available roof tiles must also have only the matching counterparts in the form of a support section 13 and a clamping section 14. For this reason, the photovoltaic roof tile 1 according to the disclosure also has dimensions and an external shape which essentially correspond to the shape and dimensions of a conventional roof tile.

(23) Electrical connecting elements, for example in the form of a plug and a socket, via which the adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1 can be electrically connected to each other, are not shown in the present exemplary embodiment.

(24) A so-called storm suction protector 15 is provided for connecting or securing several photovoltaic roof tiles 1 mounted on a roof. The storm suction protector 15 described and explained in the following has its own inventive significance. Under certain conditions, this storm suction protector 15 can also be used with commercially available roof tiles.

(25) In the exemplary embodiment shown here, which is preferred in this respect, the photovoltaic roof tile 1 has the storm suction protector 15. In the assembled state, this storm suction protector 15 extends through the cavity 10 from the rear face 7 toward the front face 4 at least into the region of the inlet opening 12.

(26) The storm suction protector 15 has a shaft 16 extending along the longitudinal direction L. A compression spring 17 is arranged around this shaft 16. On the end of the shaft 16 facing the front face 4 a hook element 18 of the storm suction protector 15 is arranged.

(27) The hook element 18 is designed to be displaced lengthwise along the shaft 16. The hook element 18 can be moved back along the longitudinal direction L on the shaft 16, compressing the compression spring 17. However, in its initial state, the hook element 18 is held by the compression spring 17 in the position shown, shifted toward the front face 4.

(28) An insertion tip 19 is provided on the hook element 18. The insertion tip 19 in this case is a nail. It can also be e.g. a pin, a bolt element, a mandrel, or the like. The insertion tip can be inserted into a corresponding receiving opening of another, for example adjacent, storm suction protector (explained in more detail later in connection with the receiving opening 30). Because a plurality of such storm suction protectors of a plurality of adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can be connected to one another, namely simply plugged together, the adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can also be connected to one another in a simple way and thus secured.

(29) The fact that the insertion tip 19 of the storm suction protector 15 described here is formed as a nail, which, as shown in FIG. 6, is guided through a through hole through a base body of the hook element 18, simplifies the installation of the storm suction protector 15 or the corresponding roof tiles 1. This is because the nail or insertion tip 19 can only be guided through the through hole on site in order to establish the positive-fitting connection of the adjacent storm suction protectors 15 and thus of the adjacent roof tiles 1.

(30) In the assembled state, the storm suction protector 15 is fixed to the rear face 7 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1. To this end, the rear face 7 has a bore 20, through which the shaft 16 of the storm suction protector 15 is routed. In addition, the storm suction protector 15 also has a securing plate 21, via which the storm suction protector 15 and ultimately also the photovoltaic roof tile 1 can be fixed to a roof batten of a roof structure. For this purpose, the photovoltaic roof tile 1 is securely connected to the roof batten by means of a nail or, as can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, by means of a screw 22 using the securing plate 21.

(31) The photovoltaic roof tile 1 additionally has an air slide valve 23. The air slide valve 23 can at least partially close the inlet opening 12 if necessary, as can be seen in FIG. 3 which shows the photovoltaic roof tile 1 in a perspective view from below. The air slide valve 23 can be moved along the longitudinal direction L and thus increase or decrease the size of the inlet opening 12. For this purpose, the air slide valve 23 is designed to be movable in its entirety. The air slide valve 23 can also be moved far enough back along the longitudinal direction L that the inlet opening 12 is not closed by the air slide valve 23 at all, i.e. not even partially. The air slide valve 23 is then completely above the base plate 3 and does not protrude past the inlet opening 12, viewed opposite to the longitudinal direction L.

(32) The longitudinal movement of the air slide valve 23 is coupled with the movement of the storm suction protector 15 or the hook element 18. Thus, the air slide valve 23 firstly comprises a base section 24. The base section 24 runs essentially parallel to the lower face 2 or to the base plate 3. The base section 24 can slide along the base plate 3 to allow the longitudinal displacement.

(33) The air slide valve 23 also has a shoulder section 25 extending from the base section 24 essentially vertically upwards toward the upper face 8. A side 26 of the hook element 18 facing the rear face 7 rests against one side of the shoulder section 25 facing the front face 4, as can be seen from the enlarged view of a detail in FIG. 6. In this way, a displacement of the hook element 18 also automatically ensures a displacement of the air slide valve 23 at the same time, by virtue of the hook element 18 pressing against the shoulder section 25 of the air slide valve 23.

(34) The shoulder section 25 also has a through opening, through which the shaft 16 of the storm suction protector 15 extends.

(35) The air slide valve 23 comprises a roof section 27 connected to the shoulder section 25. The roof section 27 is essentially perpendicular to the shoulder section 25 and essentially parallel to the base section 24. A securing section 28, which is essentially perpendicular to the roof section 27 and extends again downwards toward the lower face 2, is connected to the roof section 27. In this securing section 28, a through opening 29 is also provided, namely a through opening 29 facing the front face 4 and through which the shaft 16 of the storm suction protector 15 is also guided.

(36) At its opposite end, the shaft 16 is fixed to the rear face 7 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1. As can be seen from the detail enlargement in FIG. 6, a longitudinal displacement of the hook element 18 does not change the position of the shaft 16 of the storm suction protector 15. Instead, the hook element can be moved along the shaft 15, causing the shoulder section 25 of the air slide valve 23 to also move and compressing the compression spring 17 at the same time. The installation of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1 is thereby further facilitated.

(37) Thus, a roof is normally covered in such a way that a photovoltaic roof tile 1, located at the bottom in the installed state, is first fixed to the roof structure, secured in a roof batten by means of a nail or, as shown in this case, the screw 22. Alternatively, the photovoltaic roof tile 1 could also be merely hooked onto a roof batten from above with the securing plate 21, without additionally being screwed into it with the screw 22.

(38) A further photovoltaic roof tile 1 is then mounted over the previous one. The connection can then be advantageously produced between two photovoltaic roof tiles 1 by engaging the hook element 18 of the storm suction protector 15 of the upper photovoltaic roof tile 1 with a receiving opening 30 of the storm suction protector 15 of the lower photovoltaic roof tile 1.

(39) The receiving opening 30 thus corresponds to the insertion tip 19 of a storm suction protector 15. The receiving opening 30 is indicated in FIGS. 1 and 7 and in particular can be seen in FIG. 6. The receiving opening 30 is formed by using a hollow shaft as the shaft 16. The central opening of this hollow shaft at the end of the shaft 16 assigned to the rear face 7 thus serves as the receiving opening 30 for the insertion tip 19 of an adjacent storm suction protector 15.

(40) These installation tasks, as well as the production of the mentioned electrical connections, can also be advantageously carried out in an easily manageable manner vie the outlet opening 11 of the upper photovoltaic roof tile 1.

(41) The compression spring 17 holds the hook element 19 in its position shifted toward the front face 4 and thus simultaneously ensures that the insertion tip 19 of a photovoltaic roof tile 1 arranged above in the covered roof is held in the receiving opening 30 of a photovoltaic roof tile 1 arranged underneath.

(42) The storm suction protector 15 described can also be referred to as the storm suction protector 15 which has a shaft 16, in order to distinguish it from the alternative storm suction protector described later in connection with the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 8.

(43) FIG. 7 shows the photovoltaic roof tile 1 in a further enlarged exploded view. Individual rivets 31 as well as screws 32 can be identified, which are used to connect the lateral walls 5, 6, the front face 4, the rear face 7, and the base plate 3. Furthermore, the glass package 9 essentially forming the upper face 8 is shown in its individual parts. The glass package 9 has an upper and a lower glass plate 33, between which an upper and a lower ethylene-vinyl-acetate film 34 is arranged. Two adjacent solar cells 35, essentially formed from silicon nitride, are arranged in these two ethylene-vinyl-acetate films 34. This forms the photovoltaic module which is used in the present case to generate electrical energy from solar radiation.

(44) The glass package 9 heats up strongly due to the solar radiation and its operation. Waste heat is produced, which is used specifically by the present photovoltaic roof tile 1. For example, through the inlet opening 12 ambient air is drawn in from the surroundings U and flows through the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 and exits again from the outlet opening 11, now as heated air. This heated air can then be used specifically in consumers such as heat pumps and the like.

(45) In order that the warming air flowing through the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 does not escape unused from the photovoltaic roof tile 1, the components lower face 2 or base plate 3, lateral walls 5, 6, front face 4, rear face 7 and upper face 8 or glass package 9, are connected together or sealed in an airtight manner.

(46) FIG. 8 shows an example of an extract of a roof covered with photovoltaic roof tiles 1. Four rows are shown, each with four photovoltaic roof tiles 1 arranged on top of one another, wherein only the lower two rows of photovoltaic roof tiles 1 are labelled with the reference sign 1. In the plan view shown of the upper faces 8 of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1, the glass packages 9 of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can be identified. Furthermore, the topmost row of photovoltaic roof tiles 1 allows the outlet openings 11 to be identified. Access to the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1 is ensured via these outlet openings 11.

(47) Access to the cavity 10 of a photovoltaic roof tile 1 provides the particular advantage that further installation and maintenance measures are easily possible after the basic roof installation. In this way, the roof can also be fitted initially by a roofer. The proposed photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can be laid on the roof like a normal roof tile. This activity may be carried out by a roofer without special additional training. After that, the electrical connection of adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1, or maintenance measures generally, in particular related to the electrical components, can be carried out by specially trained personnel. To form the covering, the photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can therefore be subsequently screwed in place and connected by a roofer, e.g. by a solar engineer or a roofer with additional training, for which the ability to displace the covering, or here the glass package 9, of the respective photovoltaic roof tile 1 is advantageous.

(48) Access to the cavity 10 of a photovoltaic roof tile 1 is ensured permanently, mainly by the fact that both the lower face 2 has a lower opening in the form of the inlet opening 12 and the upper face 8 has an upper opening in the form of the outlet opening 11. It is particularly advantageous that the upper face 8 has a covering that can be displaced in the longitudinal direction. In this case, this covering is formed by the glass package 9 itself.

(49) As can be seen from the top row of photovoltaic roof tiles 1, the electrical components 36 of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1 are provided in the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1. With an already covered roof, the electrical components 36 of adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can be advantageously connected to the adjacent electrical components 36 of adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 quite simply in the proper manner. Access to the cavity 10 is variable in particular because the glass package 9 can simply be moved upwards and, as a result, the outlet opening 11, which is actually arranged above the rear face 7 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1, now provides another upper opening to the cavity 10 further down near the front face 4 and thus also allows access to the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 allowed near the front face 4. This can then be used to create direct access into the photovoltaic roof tile 1 underneath, specifically via the outlet opening 11 of this adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1 below.

(50) FIG. 9 shows another exemplary embodiment of a photovoltaic roof tile 1, which is only partially shown in FIG. 9, however. In FIG. 9 the base plate 3 can be identified in particular. Such a photovoltaic roof tile 1 or a photovoltaic roof tile 1 with such a base plate 3 can be used when covering the roof, as previously described using the example of FIG. 8.

(51) In contrast to the exemplary embodiment shown earlier, in the initial state of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 shown here, the base plate 3, which is present on a roof before the installation, has two metal plate tabs 37 extending toward the front face 4 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 and arranged in the region of the inlet opening 12. In the initial state of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 as shown in FIG. 9, these metal plate tabs 37 extend essentially parallel to the ground plane E of the base plate 3. The two metal plate tabs 37 are again also arranged parallel to each other. In addition, the metal plate tabs 37 have a plurality of bores 38 arranged at regular intervals, only some of which are labelled with the reference sign 38 in FIG. 9. Specifically, in the exemplary embodiment shown, each metal plate tab 37 has twelve bores 38.

(52) In addition, in the region of the rear face 7 of the photovoltaic roof tile, 1 further bores are provided, which are necessary in particular for mounting the components shown later on the roof. In FIG. 9 and also in FIG. 10, two storm suction protection bores 39′ are provided, as well as two batten support bracket bores 40′. These are provided for the components to be shown later in FIGS. 11 and 12 in the form of the base-plate-mounted storm suction protection elements 39, as well as the batten retainers 40. The functionality of these components, as well as the potential equalisation elements 41 also shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, will be described in particular in the context of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1 shown in the installed state on a roof in connection with FIG. 12.

(53) In the exemplary embodiment shown and described further below, as shown, the components used in the context of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 described earlier in FIGS. 1 to 7, in the form of the storm suction protector 15 having the shaft 16 and also the air slide valve 23, can also be dispensed with if required.

(54) FIG. 10 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 9, but now shown in an installed state, i.e. in a state in which the photovoltaic roof tile 1 is mounted on a roof. In contrast to FIG. 9, the two metal plate tabs 37 are now designed to fit the adjacent additional photovoltaic roof tile, not shown in FIG. 10, arranged below the photovoltaic roof tile 1. In comparison to the initial state according to FIG. 9, the respective metal plate tab 37 is firstly bent downwards by essentially 90°, and then bent upwards once again by essentially 90°. Accordingly, the metal plate tabs 37 each have a vertical section 42 which runs essentially perpendicular to the ground plane E of the base plate 3 or perpendicular to the roof in the installed state, and a horizontal section 43 connected to this vertical section 42 and running essentially parallel to the ground plane E of the base plate 3 or parallel to the roof in the installed state.

(55) FIG. 11 shows side views of the drawings of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1 from FIG. 9 (in view a) of FIG. 11), as well as from FIG. 10 (in view b) of FIG. 11). In addition to the illustrations of FIGS. 9 and 10, however, the elements base-plate-mounted storm suction protection element 39, batten retainer 40, and potential equalisation element 41 can now also be seen. It is clear that the storm suction protection element 39 on the base-plate side extends essentially vertically downwards from the base plate 3. Likewise, the batten retainer 40 extends essentially vertically downwards from the base plate 3. Finally, the potential equalisation element 41 is arranged in a corner in a transition region between the base plate 3 and the rear face 7 and extends diagonally downwards and backwards in relation to the view of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 shown.

(56) The components base-plate-mounted storm suction protection element 39, batten retainer 40 and potential equalisation element 41 can preferably be loose components, provided separately or distinct from the base plate 3 or the photovoltaic roof tile 1. Thus, the base-plate-mounted storm suction protection element 39 can be a nail or a screw, by means of which the photovoltaic roof tile 1 can be mounted on a roof batten, not shown in FIG. 11, via the base plate 3 through the bore 39′. For example, the batten retainer 40 can be a, preferably metal, pin or a screw, which pin or screw can be inserted in the base plate 3 through the bore 40′ and can provide protection as a stop from above against a roof batten, not shown in FIG. 11. The potential equalisation element 41 can also be implemented as a nail or a screw. The potential equalisation element 41 can extend through the base plate 3 or the transition between base plate 3 and rear face 7 of a photovoltaic roof tile 1, as well as simultaneously through a metal plate tab 37 of an upper adjacent photovoltaic roof tile. This potential equalisation element 41 then also partially serves to connect two adjacent (above and below) photovoltaic roof tiles 1 to each other and thus also contributes partly to the storm suction protection. The potential equalisation element 41 can be introduced during the installation and connection of two adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 to each other through a bore 38 of the metal plate tab 37 and then connect this metal plate tab 37 of the upper adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1 to the base plate 3 of the lower adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1.

(57) The three components of the base-plate-mounted storm suction protection element 39, batten retainer 40, as well as potential equalisation element 41 can also be seen in FIG. 12 in detail and in use, i.e. in an installed state of the illustrated photovoltaic roof tiles 1 on a roof. In view a) the three photovoltaic roof tiles 1 are fully visible and a further photovoltaic roof tile 1 is partly visible at the lower left edge, wherein these photovoltaic roof tiles 1 are mounted on a roof which is indicated by the four roof battens 44.

(58) For installation, the roof is covered with the photovoltaic roof tiles 1 by a roofer in the usual way. It is particularly advantageous that the respective photovoltaic roof tile 1 can first be placed on a roof batten 44 and can be mounted on this roof batten 44 from above by means of a batten retainer 40. In principle, the roof can be covered with the proposed photovoltaic roof tiles 1 as with standard, normal roof tiles. Of particular advantage here is that the roofer can access the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 from above at any time. This is ensured in the manner described above by the provision of upper openings in the form of the outlet openings 11 on the upper face 8 of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1, and also facilitated by the covering or the glass package being designed to be movable upwards. This access to the cavity 10 ensures that the installer can easily secure the photovoltaic roof tile 1 on the roof by the fact that the photovoltaic roof tile 1 can be connected to the respective roof batten 44, e.g. by means of nailing or screwing, via the base plate 3 and the integrated base-plate-mounted storm suction protection elements 39.

(59) Finally, adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can then be provided by placing the upper photovoltaic roof tile 1 in each case on the adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1 below it and aligning it with this photovoltaic roof tile 1 arranged below it in such a way that the inlet opening 12 (lower opening) of the upper photovoltaic roof tile 1 is at least partially in alignment with the outlet opening 11 (upper opening) of the lower photovoltaic roof tile 1.

(60) The metal plate tabs 37 of the adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1 can be bent and adapted so that the respective vertical section 42 of the metal plate tab 37 rests against the inside of the rear face 7 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 arranged below it and so that the horizontal section 43 of the metal plate tab 37 rests against the inside of the base plate 3 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 arranged below it. Next, the base plate 3 or rear face 7 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 arranged below can be connected to the metal plate tab 37 by penetrating the potential equalisation element 41 or screwing it in place by means of these two components. For this purpose, it is particularly advantageous that in the metal plate tab 37 different bores 38 are provided, arranged at regular intervals, through which bores 38 the potential equalisation element 41 can be inserted. In this way, it is also particularly advantageously possible to address the fact that roof battens 44 are not always evenly spaced on a roof and therefore the distances between individual photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can also always vary by small distances. The metal plate tab 37 cannot be bent from the initial state, as described, until the roof is being covered by the roofer, with the result that the horizontal sections 43 and the vertical sections 42 of the metal plate tabs 37 fit perfectly with the adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1.

(61) In order to support the arrangement and also the connection of adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 to each other, the photovoltaic roof tiles 1 shown also each have a horizontal section 45 on the rear face 7. On this horizontal section 45, the next photovoltaic roof tile 1 arranged above can always be placed down with its base plate 3. In addition, this horizontal section 45 serves advantageously to partially cover or close the inlet opening 12 or lower opening of an adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1 above, in case this inlet opening 12 (lower opening) of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 arranged above should extend further beyond the actual lateral wall of the rear face 7 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 arranged below.

(62) The potential equalisation element 41, which has already been described in part, is also used to ensure that the housings or base bodies of adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can be electrically conductively connected to each other. In this way, a potential equalisation can be created and electrical currents resulting, for example, from a potential difference between the upper face and lower face of the photovoltaic roof tiles 1, can be selectively discharged and, for example, fed into an earthing system. For this purpose, advantageously both the base plates 3 and the metal plate tabs 37 as well as the potential equalisation element 41 can be metallic or electrically conducting.

(63) Due to the arrangement of upper openings in the form of the outlet openings 11 and of lower openings in the form of the inlet openings 12, unexpected advantages are achieved with regard to the installation and especially the individual disassembly of the proposed solar energy roof tiles, such as the photovoltaic roof tiles 1 shown. Thus, in the case of a covered roof with adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 which are connected as described, for example, by means of potential equalisation elements 41 to their metal plate sheets 37 and the base plates 3 of the adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1 below them and are also attached to the roof battens 44 by means of batten retainers 40 and secured in the roof battens 44 by means of the base-plate-mounted storm suction protection elements 39, a single photovoltaic roof tile 1 can be dismantled quite simply. For this purpose, for example, the covering for the photovoltaic roof tile 1 to be dismantled, in the form of the upper face 8 or the glass package 9, can be shifted upwards. In this upward shifted position, the upper face 8 can also be secured and held in this position, for example, by means of securing mechanisms. Access can then be gained to the cavity 10 of this photovoltaic roof tile 1 to be dismantled and also to the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 below, since its upper opening in the form of the outlet opening 11 is in turn arranged in alignment with the lower opening of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 to be dismantled in the form of the inlet opening 12. There, in the adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1 below, the connection between the photovoltaic roof tile 1 to be dismantled and the photovoltaic roof tile 1 underneath can then be released by unscrewing the potential equalisation elements 41 connecting these two photovoltaic roof tiles 1. This process can then be repeated at the upper end near the rear face 7 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 to be dismantled, this time however, by gaining access via the adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1 above the photovoltaic roof tile 1 to be dismantled. This is because in the case of the adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1, the upper face 8 can again be moved upwards and access can then be gained to the cavity 10 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 to be dismantled. There, all necessary connections can then be released, specifically the screwed-in potential equalisation elements 41, but also the batten retainers 40 as well as the base-plate-mounted storm suction protection elements 39 of the photovoltaic roof tile 1 to be dismantled. Then the photovoltaic roof tile 1 to be dismantled is no longer secured and can simply be pulled down from the assembly formed with the adjacent photovoltaic roof tiles 1. A re-installation of a photovoltaic roof tile 1 into an assembly is also possible in reverse.

(64) As an alternative or in addition to the movable upper face 8, the described advantages of an individual disassembly and installation of photovoltaic roof tiles 1 can also be achieved by means of a pivotable front face 4. By folding down the front face 4, in the same way as a previously described displacement of the upper face 8 upwards, access to an adjacent photovoltaic roof tile 1 can also be gained, again through the aligned openings in the form of the inlet opening 12 of the upper and the outlet opening 11 of the lower photovoltaic roof tile 1.

(65) The advantages described due to the inlet openings 12 and the outlet openings 11 are transferable, in particular with regard to a simplified assembly and disassembly and maintenance measures, to solar energy roof tiles in general with an upper opening and a lower opening, as described. The present disclosure is not restricted to the described exemplary embodiment of a photovoltaic roof tile 1. In particular, the openings can also be provided solely for the simplification of the installation or laying of the solar energy roof tiles. The openings are also advantageous even if an air stream is not passed through the solar energy roof tiles. This can be the case for pure photovoltaic roof tiles as well as for solar thermal or combination roof tiles (using solar thermal and photovoltaic).