If you search for the benefits of solar energy, hundreds of articles will appear on web, but if you take a look at your neighborhood, you won’t find many houses powered by solar energy. Hence, a question obviously comes to your mind – “if solar power is so good for our environment and helps us reduce our electricity bills, why is it not used by millions of consumers?”
There are a number of “wrong” reasons behind the unpopularity of solar power. Majority of people have misconceptions about solar panels and think that sun rays are nothing but another source of renewable energy like wind and water that is hyped by government agencies. The myths about the cost, capability and reliability of solar panels hinder the growth of this futuristic technology. In this article, I will explore the myths and give you solid reasons why you should not believe in them.
# Myth 1: It’s too costly
This is the most common myth about solar panels. It’s true that you need to invest thousands of dollars to install Affordable solar panels, but what most people don’t tell you is that the government offers generous tax benefits and subsidies to those who invest in solar electricity.
Furthermore, as government is so supportive of this renewable source of energy, financial institutions believe in its bright future as well and offer very low-rate loans for installing solar panels. In fact, if you choose the right terms, you can pay the total loan amount in easy monthly installments. Researchers have predicted that the growth of solar energy-enabled homes will become steady in the coming years and in just 3 years, USA’s residential solar energy market may touch $5.7 billion dollars.
# Myth 2: The ROI is too slow
Suppose, you have invested $10,000 in solar panels and your average monthly bill is $100. That means it will take approximately 8 years to get the invested money back ($100 x 96months).
The math is correct, but have you ever asked real estate agents about the price of a Affordable solar powered home? If you have not, let me tell you that the day you install solar panels at your house, the price of the house increases by $18,000 – $23,000 overnight. That is a significant hike of price for any real estate property. Now, add the money you can save in 10-20 years by not using traditional grid electricity and you will realize that the return on investment is not slow at all.
# Myth 3: Solar energy is only for environmentalists
Is there anything bad if someone tries to save the environment? Whether you accept it or not, the traditional processes of electricity generation is a major cause for greenhouse effect. When we burn coal and use nuclear elements to generate electricity, we damage our atmosphere severely.
If we don’t become conscious and adopt solar as the main source of electricity, our future generations will blame us for the destruction of environment. You may not be a “nature lover” but at least, you can try to reduce pollution by installing solar panels at your home.
# Myth 4: Solar panels don’t produce electricity at night, so why use them?
Solar panels may not generate electricity at night, but you can store the excess power created during sunny hours and use it at night. It all depends on the type of solar panels and power storage system you set up at your home. In fact, solar panels with good power backup facility can meet your daily energy requirements for those rainy days as well.
# Myth 5: The efficiency of solar panels is increasing. I should wait a couple of years
The basic technology behind solar panels has not changed much over the years. The only major thing that changed is the price of the panels as they have become cheaper. As the manufacturing process has improved and use of solar panels is gaining popularity, this is the right time to invest in home solar panels.
I hope that more people will become aware of these misconceptions about solar panels and solar energy. Sun is the endless source of energy and it’s the best time to make your home solar powered with the help of quality solar panels.
