Since the effects of global warming on our environment became known, the demand for renewable energy has been on the rise. Along with the increased demand, there is a lot of misinformation and myths circulating about renewable energy sources. It has led to a lot of scepticism for people who want to invest in solar energy. It’s time to remove the scepticism and show the facts that are behind these solar energy myths.
Myth 1: Solar systems are too expensive
Most Americans overestimate the price of solar panels. Expensive solar energy in the US is hard to come by compared to the early 2000s. The prices have significantly gone down as more innovations have been made in the technology. In reality, most families installing systems are middle-income and looking for ways to decrease their energy bills. Lease options are also available, have a zero-down up-front cost, and save on bills every month after installation.
Myth 2: Solar panels don’t produce energy in harsh weather conditions
In LA, modern green energy types, such as solar installations, are incredibly durable during challenging weather conditions. Most of them are placed on your roof with a tilt, which helps hail, rain or snow glide off of it. Solar power is still generated in the cold since PV cells don’t generate power from heat. They generate it from light. Panels work more efficiently in colder climates as snow acts as a mirror because of its color, and there’s more light to go around!
Myth 3: Installing solar panels are complicated
The installation process is pretty simple when you hire trained professionals to do the job for you. A way to know the company you hired is the right one is when they take care of everything for you, from the paperwork to the installation and maintenance. You don’t have to worry about anything.
Myth 4: Installing panels cause damage to your roof
Solar myths and facts tend to cloud people’s judgements regarding their roofs. In reality, installing a PV system on your house can preserve your roof from any potential damage that could have taken place.
Myth 5: Reselling your home is more difficult with solar panels
Having solar as an addition to your home raises the resale price. You can get a quicker payback than intended if you mean to sell your property. You can additionally transfer over your solar project onto the new owners of the residence with no problems.
Myth 6: They require a lot of maintenance
Solar manufacturing results are that the product is made to withstand a lot. For this purpose, there is not much maintenance necessary. Even though solar energy myths state that there is way more to be done, all that is needed is an annual cleaning. You can either leave the job to a trained solar maintenance team to do the job for you or follow this guide.
Myth 7: Solar Modules are not eco-friendly after their lifetime is up
The average efficient lifetime for a solar module is 25 years. It can last up to 30-40 years in ideal condition. After that time, you can hand in your panels to be recycled. Most people take this route by disposing of their old panels as it is the greener option.
Myth 8: The payback is too long
Solar payback is not as long as people think it is. When you consider the rebates and federal tax credits that can be applied to your investment, it can be lessened by a lot. These are incentives put in place to inspire residents and businesses to go solar. Many companies offer solar energy consultations to discuss these matters and help you get the best return on investment possible in your situation.
Myth 9: Unused energy can be stored in batteries
While that is true in some cases, most modern PV systems have a grid-tied fashion, where it is connected to the grid. They can’t keep generating power for that purpose as it might disrupt the construction by sending power to the grid.
Myth 10: Solar power can power homes when the power goes out
In cases of power outages, the electrical grid has most likely received extensive damage, and that’s why there is a loss of power. It would only be possible with off-grid systems that have a battery backup to still generate and use solar energy in the case of a power outage. That being said, you can always add a battery storage system to your existing system at any given time!
