5 Myths About Solar Powering Your Home
0Disclaimer: This is a contributed post.
Power is something our homes need, for without it, we lose the thing that makes us modern and civilized. We are so used to electrical energy that we are not aware of other sources of energy like the sun. Solar power energy has been around for several years already but only a few individuals have them in their houses because of certain myths that hamper its popularity. Solar panels work by having photovoltaic materials within them which converts sunlight to voltage and hence electrical power. In this article, we will talk about 5 common myths of solar energy for powering our homes.
1. Solar Panels don’t work during the evenings.
This myth is true or false depending on how one looks at it. No, solar panels cannot accumulate solar energy in total darkness, but during the day, the panels gather much energy needed and may have excess energy that will be stored in a grid to store the energy that may be used by our homes to lessen the demand on electricity no matter what time of the day. So yes, solar panels can contribute power even in the evenings!
2. Solar panels are ineffective in cold or cloudy areas.
Germany is the world’s largest solar market; take note that Germany has normally cold weather, so the myth about solar panels not working in cold areas is truly busted. About cloudy skies, anyone can see that the sun still shines upon us with all those clouds up in the skies. Clouds cannot directly block the sun’s energy due to its intense power. Cold weather also demands more conventional electricity to generate more heat to counter the low temperatures, so solar energy is a good alternative under that circumstance.
3. You still need a back up generator even after you install solar panels.
As mentioned in myth #1, modern solar panels are connected to electric grids that serve as power storage bodies to contain excess energy from the solar panels. Solar panels nowadays are typically connected to those electric grids, and our home’s power is connected to these grids, so during night time or extreme cloudy days, when the solar panels are not generating maximum power, our homes are still being powered with the electric grids. So this myth is false just as long as we purchase and use the modern common grid-tie solar systems to eliminate the need for a separate generator to power our homes under certain situations.
4. Solar power is not ready for mass consumption because it is too expensive.
This famous myth is one of the most harmful myths as this hampers homeowners to finally install solar panels to power their homes. Scientists, engineers, and other genius minds have spent years and billions of dollars to come up with a proven, reliable, and cost efficient technology for power generation. Fact is solar power systems may last for an estimated 25-30 years, so imagine the savings you will get for almost 30 years! Some countries also have their government to back up solar power users by having programs to aid with affordability and availability too. So solar power is pretty much ready and affordable for man to use!
5. Using solar panels causes more harm to the environment than it helps.
First off, solar panels are reusable and may be recycled when they reach their end of life. That alone busts the myth, and to further support this, the energy spent to construct the panels may be recovered by the energy being given back by the solar panels. The National Renewable Energy Lab have concluded that solar photovoltaic panels may give the same amount of energy needed to construct the panels in about 1 to 4 years only, depending on the type of panels created and amount of solar energy available. Electrical, thermal, and fossil energy power systems all contribute to a certain degree of pollution, but solar energy systems do not, so using the sun as an alternative power source is a way to save the environment!
So there you have it! Do not prevent yourself from harnessing the sun’s mighty power by believing in these 5 myths! The sun can really provide power that man needs and solar photovoltaic panel systems can utilize its energy in an efficient and affordable manner. So consider getting your own solar panel system now!
Alexis Thompson is a Green Technology Junkie, former Mountain Backpacker and a 26 year old mother of 2 daughters, Sophie and Rhian. She is into almost all types of music, especially The Fray and Hillsong. She also has a passion in Singing and Scrap Booking. Follow her escapades on Twitter.
Latest posts by Sarah UmmYousef (see all)
- Homemade Air Fresheners: Essential Oil Reed Diffusers - May 17, 2013
- How to Use Chlorella: Nature’s Multivitamin - May 13, 2013
- Please Vote for Nature’s Nurture in Top 25 Eco-Friendly Moms! - May 10, 2013
I think the hubby needs to read this! When we buy the house we plan on staying in long term I want solar energy. He has given me four out of those five excuses!