Solar shingles (or photovoltaic shingles) are a new type of solar energy system that, at first glance, look like regular asphalt shingles but are actually photovoltaic cells (PV). There are several varieties of solar shingles, incluing shingle-sized solid panels that take the place of a number of conventional shingles in a strip, semi-rigid designs containing several silicon solar cells that are sized more like conventional shingles, and newer systems using various thin film solar cell technologies that match conventional shingles both in size and flexibility. They are manufactured by only a few companies worldwide including SunPower Corporation and Atlantis Energy Systems.