Powering down the most common solar power myths

It’s something that has sneaked up on us over recent years, yet because it’s not the primary source of energy for most of the world there are a lot of misconceptions about solar power.

In truth, this is an industry which is constantly growing and has come a long way over the last few decades. Solar power is more accessible than ever before, with companies such as Horizon Solar Power bringing the technology to umpteen households over the country.

Nevertheless, and back to our original point, it’s still a topic which is widely misunderstood. Bearing this in mind, we have collected some of the most common solar power myths and published them below. Here goes…

“Solar panels are new and are therefore unreliable as a primary energy system”

Well, first thing’s first, solar panels aren’t actually that new. To put things into perspective, the technology was first discovered in the 1800s and the roof panels themselves have been around for decades upon decades.

If you were to look at systems installed in the 70s, you’d find that the majority were still functioning correctly as of today.

Additionally, providers are very generous with their warranties and will tend to provide at least 20 year packages, meaning that consumers do receive a long period of protection with guarantees the energy source.

Finally, if you consider the mechanics, there are no moving parts within the panels and in a nutshell, this means there is much less which can go wrong.

“The panels will make my home more difficult to sell and will negatively affect its value”

This is probably one of the more interesting myths on our sheet, as there are hard facts to prove that it’s not the case. Studies have shown that those properties with solar panels installed don’t just sell 20% faster, but they also sell for 17% more as well.

If we then turn to the Appraisal Journal, the general rule is that your value will rise by $20,000 for each $1,000 which is shaved from an annual electricity bill.

“The technology isn’t for me as my area is too cold and cloudy”

This myth is completely understandable; after all, solar panels supposedly work via the sun’s rays.

However, you don’t need bright and exceptionally hot days to take advantage. For example, Germany are regarded as one of the leading countries when it comes to this technology, yet their weather doesn’t touch what some US states get.

“Solar panels don’t look natural on roofs”

We would have completely agreed with this statement a few decades ago but now, technology is improving. In fact, the majority of solar panels add a degree of sophistication to your roof – they look completely modern.

We should also mention that this technology is constantly improving. Some companies have started to develop solutions which completely mimic the appearance of a traditional roof – so this is most certainly one area where homeowners should not have any worries about.