Shedding Light On 6 Solar Energy Myths

Image Credit

While more and more households are converting to solar energy, many are still reluctant to make the switch. For some people, this is all down to negative criticisms they’ve read on the internet or heard from a friend. However, the majority of these negative criticisms are myths. This post debunks just a few common solar energy myths.

Solar panels need a clear sky to generate energy

It doesn’t have to be a clear sunny day for you to generate electricity from solar panels. While it’s true that these are the best conditions, solar panels can still generate plenty of electricity even on the cloudiest and rainiest of days. This is because plenty of UV rays are still reaching the earth. Solar panels are also able to store plenty of energy in a battery so that you can still use electricity from them at night.

The cost of solar panels is not worth the money saved

Solar panels can save you money in the long run. They do cost quite a lot of money to install (although much less than they used to) and this puts many people off. But with energy grid prices going up, solar panel owners are seeing faster returns. Most homeowners have made their money back in 8 years. By shopping around for the lowest solar panel installation prices, you can make your money back more quickly. It’s also worth noting that you don’t have to pay the full price of installation upfront and can pay for solar panels in installments in most cases.

Only homeowners can take advantage of solar energy

Through community solar projects, those renting homes are able to invest in solar panels and tap into this energy source. This typically involves helping pay to have solar panels installed on someone else’s land. Homeowners can meanwhile seek funding from renters in their area for solar projects in exchange for providing a share of their solar energy – this guide to community solar customer acquisition explains more.

Most solar panels aren’t very efficient

While it’s true that many regular solar panels only have an efficiency of 20%, many homes can still be powered entirely by solar power providing there are multiple panels installed. One solar panel therefore may not be very efficient, but a solar panel system can be very efficient – often more so than a home wind turbine.

Solar panels do more environmental harm than good

While solar panels do require a lot of energy and chemicals to manufacture, the environmental benefits of solar panels greatly outweigh any damage. Solar panels reduce demand on fossil fuel power generation – which creates huge amounts of carbon emissions. Once solar panels are manufactured, they contrastingly produce no carbon emissions, helping to keep the earth’s atmosphere cleaner.

Solar panels negatively affect a home’s value

The idea that solar panels harm a home’s value is completely false. In fact, solar panels are much more likely to make a home more attractive to buyers and could boost its value. A Zillow report found that homes with solar panels were generally worth 4.1% more than homes without solar panels. That’s potentially thousands added to the price tag of your home.