Roof Shingles became solar shingles when they became available in 2005 because people are becoming more and more energy conscious, and companies and individuals have been looking for ways to produce and use energy in a more conservative way. In a 2009 interview with Reuters, a spokesperson for the Dow Chemical Company estimated that their entry into the solar shingle market would generate $5 billion in revenue by 2015 and $10 billion by 2020. The first location the Dow solar shingles became available was in Colorado in October 2011.