Myth Busting Solar Energy Concerns for Home Owners
When you look out onto the landscape of Orange County from a birds eye view, it’s apparent there are groups of people who are invested in solar energy, and those who are reliant on Edison, Southern California Gas Company, or San Diego Gas & Electric. And I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but power, gas, and water rates are all going up; not because they need to, but because the cities are looking to make more money in light of all these pensions and bankruptcies. To this point, solar energy systems as an expense for home owners are going down, and the technology has come a long way.
To be honest, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be harnessing the power of the sun. You’ve seen it, felt it, often remarked on it — it’s hot out there! This heat, or light, can be converted into energy you can use to power your appliances, warm your pool, even power your entire household. What if I told you that in most cases you could achieve this by paying less than you pay now? You’d be amazed, skeptical, or even ecstatic. Let’s take a hard look at some of the myths that are keeping people from Solar Energy.
Myth #1: Solar Power is too expensive!
Fact: Going solar is one of the best investments any homeowner can ever make.
We’ve heard it before: “Switching to Solar is Too Expensive”. Let’s take a look at the real costs of making the switch to solar energy before deciding that solar is too expensive. Let’s consider the facts first:
- Initially, the cost of a solar installation is an investment. An investment that, when designed and installed properly, will put money in your pocket for many years to come. As utility rates increase, the money saved will only continue to rise.
- In recent years, the cost of solar panels has dropped substantially … we’re talking 60 % over the last 10 years, making solar more practical and economical than ever before. This is the exact opposite of fossil fuel sources (oil, gas & coal), which become more expensive and less abundant with every ton burned.
- Residential electricity rates have seen an increase of 4% nationally over the past 10 years. In some places like Oregon, locals have seen dramatic increases as much as 40%, there is no denying that rates will continue to be on the rise.
- Solar panels typically come with a 25-year warranty, but systems installed decades ago are still generating energy today, so it’s expected that a new array will last many years beyond the warranty period. That’s 25+ years of saving 50–85% on your electric bill annually! Think of how you could better spend that money.
- Homeowners don’t have to wait 25 years to see the savings; depending on the size of the system, homeowners can take advantage of simple payback of 9–12 years.
- Solar panels operate during peak daytime load periods when fossil fuel powered electricity is at its greatest demand and most expensive. In fact, with an efficiently-designed solar array, the panels will be returning excess power to the grid when it’s most needed, generating credit instead of cost.
- Some people worry about the value of their investment if they choose to install solar panels, but might decide to sell their homes later. Well no surprise here, solar installations actually increase the value of your home on the market, with the added bonus of spending less time on the market.*
In our modern society, having electricity has become essential for day-to-day living, and the use of a depleting resource is becoming a real crisis. With our rate of energy consumption in the U.S. increasing, and the cost of fossil fuels predicted to also continue rising, now is a perfect time to make the switch. Don’t let the cost of going green stop you from making the switch. With our current trends, switching to solar energy is a great way to save.
Myth #2: Solar systems are hard to maintain
Fact: Solar arrays are built to be durable and require minimal maintenance. Many installers recommend an annual inspection to check the panels and overall system performance, and many offer warranties for the life of the system.
Plus, if you lease rather than own your system, maintenance will be provided by the leasing company. Keep in mind that panels with tracking systems may require additional maintenance and care.
Myth #3: Solar power will get more efficient, so I should wait to buy or install
Fact: While many companies are working to improve the efficiency of solar panels, the current technology for solar panels is well established — in fact, we’ve been using the same solar technology, more or less, since the 1960s.
The potential efficiency gains of future panels are small compared to the panels ready for installation today, and the efficiency gains when measured in total dollars saved on your energy bills is miniscule.
Myth #4: A Solar PV systems don’t work in overcast conditions
Fact: Snowy and cloudy weather can reduce the amount of energy produced by your solar panels, but they can still work efficiently in these conditions.
In snowy climates, most solar panels are installed at an angle so that the snow will slide off the panel once it accumulates, and rain can help clear debris from you panels, actually helping them to be more efficient. In fact, Germany, a country that gets less than half as much sun as the sunniest city in the U.S., has one of the most successful solar initiatives in the world.
Myth #5: Solar panels will damage my roof
Fact: Professional installers are skilled at installing solar panels on every imaginable roof pitch, angle, and condition.
These professionals will not damage a homeowner’s roof, and in some cases solar panels may extend the life of the roof by protecting it from the elements. Solar panels are installed a few inches above the existing roof to increase air flow and weigh about the same as a second layer of shingles.
Myth #6: Solar PV only work in the sweltering heat (high temperature regions with lots of sun)
Fact: Most solar panels actually work best in cold, sunny conditions.
Conductivity increases in cold temperatures, making electricity flow more efficiently, while higher temperatures can reduce the panels’ efficiency. As solar panels get hotter, they produce less power from the same amount of light.
Myth #7: Manufacturing of a solar panel creates more greenhouse emissions than it actually saves, which offset the goals and focus of future benefits
MYTH: Solar Energy Is “Dirty”
Claiming that a “green future” would be “dirty,” the Taxpayer Protection Alliance’s Drew Johnson wrote in a Washington Examiner op-ed that “It turns out that it takes a lot of power (and a lot of carbon) to build solar panels and wind turbines.” [Washington Examiner, 7/24/12]
A Wall Street Journal editorial lent some credence to the claim that solar “really doesn’t reduce greenhouse gas emissions” because the carbon savings from solar projects on desert land could be “negat[ed]” by disturbing caliche deposits that release carbon dioxide. [Wall Street Journal, 9/4/12]
At the American Enterprise Institute’s blog, Kenneth Green promoted a press release claiming that “Solar cells do not offset greenhouse gases” because solar cell production emits gases that “make carbon dioxide (CO2) seem harmless.” [American Enterprise Institute, 1/23/13]
FACT: Solar Energy Can Greatly Reduce Pollution
Solar Energy Emits Much Fewer Greenhouse Gas Emissions Than Fossil Fuels. A special report by the International Panel on Climate Change’s Working Group III examined hundreds of estimates of greenhouse gas emissions (including the potent but rare gases that AEI referred to), and compiled the results of the most thorough studies.
Myth #8: I won’t live in my home long enough to make my investment in solar back
Fact: Depending on your system and location, solar panel arrays can pay for themselves within 6 to 15 years.
Combined with the best state and federal tax credits and incentives, you could start seeing a return on your investment within 2 to 4 years. Solar panels also increase the resale value of a home by about $15,000, so even if you won’t be in your home for the next 15 years, you can still see a significant return on investment when you sell.
Myth #9: Solar panels require a tracking system to follow the angle of the sun
Fact: When panels are installed, they are positioned to maximize sun exposure, meaning tracking systems are not required.
Some newer solar panels do integrate tracking systems to change the panel’s positioning throughout the day, but the additional expense may not be worth the limited efficiency gains.
Myth #10: Solar panel systems will store excess energy in batteries
- On Fox News, JunkScience.com founder Steve Milloy claimed that “Half the time solar panels don’t even work. Half the time they do work they produce expensive electricity. This is just lose, lose, lose, for America. We can’t do it here.” [Fox News, Your World with Neil Cavuto, 8/31/11, via Media Matters]
- The O’Reilly Factor mocked an attendee of the Power Shift Conference for noting that solar energy could be stored for times when there is no sunlight. [Fox News, The O’Reilly Factor, 4/20/12]
- A Washington Times editorial claimed “the left promotes the power sources of the past,” offering as evidence the fact that “solar panels don’t generate any electricity after sundown.” [Washington Times, 7/27/12]
FACT: U.S. Has Great Solar Potential Aided By New Technologies
U.S. Has More Solar Potential Than Current World Leader In Solar Generation. While areas that have more intense direct sunlight due to clear skies and low humidity have more solar generation potential, even northeastern states in the U.S. have greater solar potential than Germany, as can be seen in this map by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory:
Yet Germany is currently the world leader in solar power generation, as illustrated in this chart of current solar PV operating capacity by country:
Solar Potential For Southwest U.S. Is Among The Highest In The World. A report by GTM Research prepared for efinity noted that the Southwest has “among the best photovoltaic resources in the world” due to high insolation — the amount of solar energy that reaches a given area and time:
Myth #11: Solar will look unattractive on my roof
Fact: Ultimately, everyone has their own subjective view of what is attractive or not; depending on the experiences that they had, and what artistic elements they have been exposed to.
The aesthetic appeal of solar panels on a residential roof is really irrelevant in most cases. You aren’t going to be looking at them very closely, unless you are getting on top of your roof a lot. Professionals such as Pingo Solar, can install solar panels in specific places keeping in mind where the sun is going to be through out the year to minimize the visual impact. Depending on your yard spacial constraints, panels can even be mounted on the ground. Solar shingles such as those Tesla is producing can also help with curb appeal by better blending in with your existing roof.
Myth #12: Only a few states offer financial incentives for installing solar panels
Fact: Almost every state in the U.S. has some type of incentive for solar energy.
Before assuming that your state doesn’t offer an incentive, research the solar energy incentives and policies in your state. In addition to any state incentive offered, the federal government is currently offering a 30% tax credit for solar array systems installed before the end of 2019.
For More Information About Solar Energy Systems
For more information on how you can be a better steward of the environment and also save money on your electrical bill, click on the link, fill out the form, and one of our Solar Energy System Reps will go over any and all your questions.
