Over the last half century, production of PV solar panels across the world has seen a huge increase. The cost has fallen to a degree that solar power is a sensible option for many homeowners. Solar panels have so many benefits as a domestic energy solution – they pay themselves off in savings, they require little to no maintenance and they’re carbon-neutral. Despite this, clouds of misconception still surround the idea of solar power. Consumer concerns are important to us so we thought we would discuss some of these. From effectiveness in low light, to visual appearance, these are the most common misconceptions about solar power, and the truth that you should know.
The tech is very modern and not mainstream yet
Solar power as we know it today was discovered in 1839. Check out an article we published on a solar powered car from 1912. More than fifty years ago satellites started using solar to power equipment and radios. Since then huge improvements have been made in the efficiency and durability of solar power components. Countries are building solar farms to power entire cities. The growth of photovoltaic solar has been exponential worldwide. From less than 10,000 MegaWatts worldwide in 2006, the total power produced by solar worldwide now is nearing 200,000 MegaWatts.
One of the biggest concerns homeowners have is that their house will have no power at night. While it’s true that solar panels won’t absorb sunlight at night, most systems are grid-tied, which means no interruption in power availability.
It’s too costly
We would hazard a guess that over 80% of people we talk to overestimate the costs associated with solar panels. One of the most frequent concerns that homeowners have is that they won’t be able to afford solar panels, or live at their home long enough to pay off the investment.
In recent years, switching to solar has become more and more affordable. However, the financial benefits don’t stop at the wallet — there are also no input costs for solar energy. Sunlight is completely free, and it replaces some of the more expensive production required for gas, coal and oil plants.
Difficult maintenance
It takes a lot to overload a home solar system, meaning that the panels you install on your roof may even outlive their 25-year warranty. Because they don’t have any moving parts that may lead to potential maintenance problems, solar panels are reliable sources of energy, that require no more than an occasional clean in the way of maintenance. In the winter, snow and ice slide off, and the most sensitive part of the system – the inverter – is housed indoors and also comes with a product warranty.
Solar panels need very little maintenance whatsoever. As long as professionals install them properly, you may only need to make sure to keep them clean from dust. If you’re living in a rainy climate, then the chances are your panels will keep themselves clean. One of the great things about dealing with SkySolar is the fact that we handle any cleaning and on-going maintenance, so if anything needs attention, we’re there in no time, giving you peace of mind that no inexperienced third parties are ‘having a go’ at fixing a potential issue.
They’re ugly
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if you don’t like the look of solar panels, all we can say is that they go on the roof (most of the time), and depending on the property can go largely unseen, like a recent 4kW install we did in Auckland. The fact that your solar panels will raise your home’s resale value mean that most people view residential PV systems positively. In other words, even if you don’t appreciate the aesthetics of your solar energy system, your home will be more attractive to buyers.
