Photovoltaic shingles for roofing and method for connecting the shingles

1. A roofing shingle comprising:

a flexible sheet having a first portion adapted to receive a fastener to attach the shingle to a roof;

a photovoltaic panel attached to a second portion of the flexible sheet, wherein the panel is entirely on the second portion, and the panel includes a first panel side edge proximate to a first side edge of the shingle and a second panel side edge proximate to a second side edge of the shingle;

an electrical conductive path extending from a first side of the shingle to an opposite side of the shingle, wherein the electrical conductive path is electrically coupled to the photovoltaic panel;

a connector on one end of the electrical conductive path, wherein the connector is adapted to couple to a mating connector of a first adjacent roofing shingle, and

a mating connector on an opposite end of the electrical conductive path, wherein the mating connector is adapted to couple to a connector of a second adjacent roofing shingle.

2. The shingle as in claim 1 wherein the connector is a male connector and the mating connector is a female connector.

3. The shingle as in claim 1 wherein the connector extends from first side of the shingle and the mating connector extends from the opposite side of the shingle.

4. The shingle as in claim 1 wherein the an electrical conductive path includes a positive conductive path and a separate negative conductive path, and the positive and conductive paths each having a connector on one end and a mating connector on an opposite end of the respective paths.

5. The shingle as in claim 1 wherein the flexible sheet underlies the photovoltaic panel.

6. The shingle as in claim 1 wherein the photovoltaic panel is substantially coextensive with the second portion of the flexible sheet.

7. The shingle as in claim 1 wherein the electrical conductive path is a conductive bus bar.