I'm British, so what I know about solar power (and in fact, the sun, ha ha) could be written on the back of something really small (one of these, perhaps) but I do know that for most people, solar panels are not a practical or affordable rooftop accessory.

However, that could change with the news that a company called Lumeta has developed a "peel and stick" design that should be much cheaper and easier to apply than the standard rack-mounted solar panel design of old. Lumeta's panels are apparently half as heavy as concrete roofing tiles and can be tailored to fit on most types of roofs, but what really caught my eye was that they come in a variety of colors, too: so they can blend in - or stand out - as much as you'd like.

Treehugger reports that they may not be the most energy-efficient of solar panel designs, but anything that makes eco-friendly housing easier and more accessible for the masses has to be a good thing in my book.

Just make sure you hire a professional to stick them on, won't you?

[Image: Lumeta].