9 Common Myths and Misconceptions About Solar Energy

The increasing pollution across the world has rapidly increased the pace of global warming. The only way to reduce the impact of global warming is by using renewable forms of energy.

Most renewable energies like solar energy can be used throughout the year. However, there are certain myths and misconceptions that are stopping many from enjoying the benefits of solar energy.

Here are a few such myths that need to be busted in order to improve the future of solar energy:

Myth #1: Solar Panels will not work in cloudy or snowy weather

Solar panels will keep generating electricity as long as the sunlight keeps hitting them. This is true irrespective of the climatic conditions. In fact, a cold and sunny environment is ideal for the optimal operation of a solar system.

On windy days when there is light snowfall, you will notice snowflakes getting scattered in the sunlight. This will facilitate more sunlight to reach the solar panels, generating more electricity. The wind helps in keeping the panels free from snowflakes. Solar power generation might get hampered only if a lot of snow is deposited on the solar panels.

Solar systems are working efficiently in many cold climates such as Germany, UK, Italy, and china. In fact, Germany is the world leader when it comes to solar panels.

Myth #2: Solar energy is too Expensive

This statement might have been true about a decade ago, when solar energy was the most expensive form of renewable energy. However, over the past ten years, there has been almost a 90 percent drop in the cost of installing solar panels, as more and more companies have started to invest in them. Today, producing electricity from solar energy is actually cheaper than producing electricity using coal.

Myth #3: Solar Installation is Complicated and Difficult to Maintain

It mostly depends on the manufacturer that you are using. If the manufacturer is a reliable one, your solar panel installation could be a simple and straightforward process. Once connected to your utility grid, a solar system can be really easy to maintain.

You can clean the solar panels with plain water, if you find any debris or dust accumulated on them. Also, solar panels are strong enough to tolerate harsh weather. Battery-based solar systems might need some extra cleaning than the ones without batteries.

Myth #4: Solar panels Tend to Damage the Roof

Solar Panels do not damage the roof. In fact, they protect and preserve the portion of the roof that they cover.

During installation solar panels are mounted on top of your roof and are not actually attached to your roof. So, in case any of the solar panels get damaged, they can easily be removed and replaced. The gaps between the panels and the rooftop are usually filled using a sealant. Metal flashing or coverings are used to protect the mounts, creating an extra barrier. So, your roof is actually safe. However, make sure you check your roof for any damages before installing your solar panels.

Myth #5: The Cost of Installing Solar Panels Depends on the Size of Your Home

How many solar panels you install depends solely on the electricity requirement of your house. The size of the house has nothing to do with the cost of installing solar panels. In fact, the factors that are considered are the slope of your roof, its orientation, and the areas surrounding the roof. This is to check if anything is obstructing the sunlight from reaching the panels.

Myth #6: Solar panels, Once Used Up, Can Be Bad for the Environment

Most solar panels are designed to work optimally till about 25 years. After this they can be easily recycled. The solar panels or solar PV modules are made of materials like glass, semiconductors, and glass that can all be recovered and reused. However, the manufacturer has to take the responsibility of recycling them. There are manufacturers who will do this for you, free of charge. Nevertheless, it is better to have a word with your manufacturer on this, before installation.

Myth #7: More Energy is Required to Manufacture Solar Panels than What they Generate

Generally speaking, about 200kWh of energy is required to manufacture a 100-watt Single Solar Panel. As compared to this a single 100-watt solar panel can generate up to 365KWh of energy in one year, depending upon the amount of sunlight it receives. Considering the lifetime of each solar panel as 25 years, 9125kWh of energy can be generated over its lifespan. A mere 200kWh energy used to manufacture this solar panel seems negligible, when compared to all the electricity that it can generate over the years.

Myth #8: Reselling a Home with Solar Panels Might Be Tougher

The opposite of this would be true. Installing solar panels will make your home energy-efficient. Therefore, you will be able to build more equity on your home. All this means it will only fetch you a better price, making it easier and faster to sell your home. You can expect at least a $10,000 more on your home, by installing a solar system. Moreover, you would have already recovered the cost of your investment through the savings on your utility bills.

Myth #9: Using Clean Coal is Better Than Investing in Solar Energy

Coal is a very dirty fossil fuel to generate electricity. When coal is burnt, it emits a lot of toxic gases that can lead to a lot of health problems. By increasing the mercury and smog levels and causing carbon pollution, coal can badly pollute the environment. Compared to this solar energy is a lot safer and cleaner.

The Bottom Line

Using solar energy can be very beneficial for your home, your health, your wallet, as well as the environment. Now that you have got your myths and misconceptions about solar energy busted, it is time to get a solar system installed. You can get in touch with many trustworthy solar companies through solar live transfer leads. Make sure you get all your queries cleared prior to the installation.

Author writes for Heritus. A mortgage live transfers generation company in New York, US.