Photovoltaic roofing elements

1. A photovoltaic roofing element comprising

a roofing substrate;

a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate;

an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus; and

a shield disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector on its down-roof side, its top side, or both,

wherein the roofing substrate comprises a base of roofing material having a top surface, the top surface having a headlap zone and an exposure zone, and one or more layers of shim material disposed on the top surface of the base in the headlap zone; wherein the electrical connector and the shield are disposed on the top surface of the base; and wherein the one or more layers of shim material have a total thickness at least about as great as the thickness of the combination of the electrical connector and the shield.

2. The photovoltaic roofing element according to claim 1 , wherein the shield is disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector at least on its down-roof side.

3. The photovoltaic element according to claim 2 , wherein the terminus of the electrical connector is oriented laterally.

4. The photovoltaic roofing element according to claim 1 , wherein the shield has a vertical or down-roof pointing flange.

5. The photovoltaic roofing element according to claim 1 , wherein the shield is integrally formed with or physically connected to the electrical connector.

6. The photovoltaic roofing element according to claim 1 , wherein the roofing substrate is flexible.

7. The photovoltaic roofing element according to claim 1 , wherein the roofing substrate has formed therein a recess shaped to at least partially receive the electrical connector and the shield.

8. The photovoltaic roofing element according to claim 7 , wherein the recess is formed in a top surface of the roofing substrate.

9. The photovoltaic roofing element according to claim 7 , wherein the recess is formed in a side of the roofing substrate.

10. A photovoltaic roofing system including an electrically-interconnected plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements according to claim 1 .

11. A roof comprising a roof deck and a photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 10 disposed on the roof deck.

12. A method for installing a photovoltaic roofing system, the method comprising disposing on a roof deck and electrically interconnecting a plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements according to claim 1 .

13. The photovoltaic roofing element according to claim 1 , wherein the shield has a lateral dimension in the range of about 1 cm to about 5 cm.

14. A photovoltaic roofing system including an electrically-interconnected plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising: a first photovoltaic roofing element, the first photovoltaic roofing element comprising a roofing substrate, a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate, an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus, and a shield disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector on its down-roof side, its top side, or both; and a second photovoltaic roofing element, the second photovoltaic roofing element comprising a roofing substrate; a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate; an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus, wherein the electrical terminus of the electrical connector of the first photovoltaic roofing element is operatively engaged with the electrical terminus of the electrical connector of the second photovoltaic roofing element, to form an interface therebetween, the interface having a down-roof side and an up-roof side and a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the shield of the first photovoltaic roofing element extends across the interface and substantially shields the interface on its down-roof side, but not on its up-roof side or its bottom side.

15. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 14 , wherein the terminus of the electrical connector is oriented laterally.

16. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 14 , wherein the shield is integrally formed with or physically connected to the electrical connector of the first photovoltaic roofing element.