Patent ID: 7506477

Claim:
A roofing module that provides weather protection and that generates electrical power, comprising: a base comprising a plurality of raised crests and lowered pans between a first edge and a second edge of the base, the crests and the pans having contours sized and shaped to match the size and shape of the contours and pans of conventional contour roofing tiles to enable the base to engage with the conventional contour roofing tiles, the base comprising a lightweight plastic material, each crest of the base including a depressed portion, the depressed portion of at least one crest having an opening from a top surface to a bottom surface of the at least one crest; and a photovoltaic panel assembly positioned in the depressed portions of at least two adjacent crests and spanning between a first edge and a second edge of the panel assembly across at least one pan between the at least two adjacent crests of the base, wherein the photovoltaic panel assembly comprises: an outer frame sized to fit in the depressed portions of the base, the outer frame encompassing a depressed inner area; a photovoltaic array sized to fit in the depressed inner area of the outer frame, the photovoltaic array having an output module with a first electrical output conductor and a second electrical output conductor extending therefrom, the output module sized to fit in the opening of the at least one crest of the base so that the first and second electrical output conductors extend below the bottom surface of the at least one crest; a first interlock at the first edge of the photovoltaic panel assembly and a second interlock at the second edge of the photovoltaic panel assembly, the first interlock and the second interlock having mutually engaging configurations such that when two adjacent bases are engaged, the first interlock of the panel on one base engages the second interlock of the panel on the other base.