NOVELTY - A photovoltaic shingle (10) comprises a substrate (11) has outward face (18) and inward face; photovoltaic cell assembly (40) affixed to, and conformed to, outward face of lower area of the substrate, where the photovoltaic cell assembly comprises photovoltaic cell (41) where the photovoltaic cell spans at least the lower area except for a portion that is intended to be overlapped by another shingle, and except for a narrow peripheral band around a periphery of the lower area of the substrate, where the substrate is plastic or metal.    USE - As photovoltaic shingle (claimed), used in building roofs for converting solar radiation into electrical power.    ADVANTAGE - The shingle is cheaper to manufacture, and install, is more efficient in the conversion to electrical energy and the transmission of the electricity, is more durable, and aesthetically pleasing so that solar devices are acceptable on residential homes without the need for shielding the devices from view.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A photovoltaic shingle (10) comprises a substrate (11) having a left end, a right end opposite the left end, a length extending from the left end to the right end, a bottom end (15), a top end opposite the bottom end, a width extending from the bottom end to the top end, an outward face (18) between the left, right, bottom and top ends, and an inward face opposite the outward face and between the left, right, bottom and top ends, the substrate also having a profile comprising traverse parallel ridges with each ridge separated from the next ridge by a traverse parallel trough, the traverse parallel ridges and traverse parallel troughs extending the width of the substrate from the bottom end to the top end of the substrate, the outward face of the substrate having a lower area that begins at the bottom end, and an upper area that begins at the top end, the upper area of the outward face being smaller than the lower area of the outward face, where the lower area has a width and the upper area has a width, where the width of the lower area plus the width of the upper area equals the width of the substrate, the inward face of the substrate having a lower area that begins at the bottom end, and an upper area that begins at the top end, where, the outward face of the upper area of the substrate is operable for providing nesting unit and aligning unit for an inward face of a lower area of another substrate having the profile, and where the inward face of the lower area of the substrate is operable for nesting with, and self aligning with, an outward face of an upper area of another substrate having the profile; fastener receiving unit located in the upper area of the outward face of the substrate proximate the top end for receiving a fastener operable for attaching the photovoltaic shingle directly to a building structure without an auxiliary support or framing structure for spacing the shingle above and away from the building structure except for an optional intermediate layer selected from the group consisting of a moisture barrier material, a thermal insulation material, and a moisture/insulating barrier material; and a photovoltaic cell assembly (40) affixed to, and conformed to, the outward face of the lower area of the substrate, where the photovoltaic cell assembly comprises a photovoltaic cell (41) and where the photovoltaic cell spans at least the lower area except for a portion that is intended to be overlapped by another shingle, and except for a narrow peripheral band around a periphery of the lower area of the substrate, where the substrate is plastic or metal. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for producing a photovoltaic shingle having a particular color involving producing a substrate having a Spanish tile-like shape with ridges and troughs and a repetitive profile from a plastic composition; forming a first metal conductor member on a lower area of the outer face of the substrate so that the first metal conductor member conforms to and is affixed to the substrate; forming a first color-imparting member over the first metal conductor member so that the first color-imparting member conforms to and is affixed to the first metal conductor member,-forming a first member having a first semiconductor composition over the first color-imparting member so that the first member having the first semiconductor composition conforms to and is affixed to the first color-imparting member; forming a second metal conductor member over the first member having the first semiconductor composition so that the second metal conductor member conforms to and is affixed to the first member having the first semiconductor composition; forming a second member having of a second semiconductor composition over the second metal conductor member so that the second member having the second semiconductor composition conforms to and is affixed to the second metal conductor member thereby producing a photovoltaic cell; and forming a second member having a color-imparting composition over the second member having of the second semiconductor composition thereby producing the photovoltaic shingle of the particular color.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a perspective view of shingle.    Photovoltaic shingle (10)    Substrate (11)    Bottom end of substrate (15)    Photovoltaic cell assembly (40)    Photovoltaic cell (41)