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Thinking about getting solar panels but getting distracted by the myths surrounding them? Let’s take a minute to debunk these so you can start your solar energy journey now.
1. Solar Panels Are Too Expensive
One of the most prevalent factors in deciding to purchase solar panels is the price. They can be a hefty purchase, but solar panels are an investment.
Of course, many salespeople talk about how their products are investments, but solar panels really are!
You have the potential to save up to 70% on your bills and you could even earn some money as well. Any unused electricity from your solar panels can be sold to the National Grid, allowing you to make some return on your investment.
2. But Why Pay So Much Money If You Can Get It for Free?
Many companies sell “free” solar panels but there is a catch: you do not own these solar panels. The businesses own them.
Of course, you can use any solar energy generated by these solar panels meaning you are reducing your carbon footprint.
However, any unused electricity will be sold by the company to the National Grid. This means the company receives the profits from the unused electricity, not you.
3. Solar Panels Decrease the Value Of Your House
Some people are under the impression that upgrading your home with solar panels actually decreases the value of your house. This is simply not true.
Houses for sale are valued using many different pieces of data. One key piece of information required to value a house is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
An EPC is measured using two key factors:
- How much energy is used in the house
- The CO2 emissions from the property
Solar energy can affect an EPC rating. As solar energy is a renewable energy, there are no CO2 emissions from this.
This means your EPC rating can be upgraded, potentially leading to an increased house valuation rather than a decrease.
4. Solar Panels Can Damage the Roof
Solar panels are typically installed onto roofs using mounts. The mounts themselves are the bridge between your roof and the solar panels.
This causes no damage to your roof from the solar panels, hopefully giving you a sense of relief.
To be fully certain your roofs won’t be damaged, you should seek professional solar panel installers with accreditations such as MCS and NAPIT.
Professional installers should carry out a survey of your roof first to ensure it is appropriate and safe to install any solar panels.
5. Solar Panels Only Work in The Sun
To generate electricity, solar panels need to be exposed to sunlight. But what does this mean on a cloudy day?
Clouds may block the Sun from you getting a tan but as a matter of fact, they are not as effective in blocking sunlight from solar panels.
Sunlight is still able to pass through the clouds and end up in the solar cells of your solar panels. However, your solar panels may not work as efficiently as they would on a clear sunny day.
This means solar panels are not redundant on a cloudy day as you are still able to generate some electricity during the daytime.
So don’t worry if you live in the UK, your solar panels will be working just fine!
6. Solar Panels Need to Be In A Specific Climate
Not only do solar panels not need to be in direct sunlight but they also don’t need to be in specific climates.
It is true that solar panels do not work so well in hotter temperatures. But this is not to say they do not work at all.
The efficiency on your solar panels could be reduced slightly by 10-20% but this is only a small amount. Your solar panels will still be generating a lot of electricity regardless of the slight difference.
However, if you are living in the UK, this might not be an issue given the climate!
Additionally, weather such as snow does not stop your solar panels from working contrary to popular belief.
Snow on solar panels can be easily melted by the Sun and, given the angle solar panels are installed at, is able to fall off the solar panels out of the way. The cold weather also improves the efficiency of solar panels as it stops them from overheating.
7. But Solar Panels Don’t Create Electricity at Night, Will I Have No Power?
It’s true that solar panels don’t make any electricity at night given that there is no sunlight. So how will you use electricity at night?
When installing your solar panels, you will most likely be offered on-grid unless specified otherwise. This means that although you are using solar energy, you will also be connected to the National Grid meaning you can still use electricity at night.
Another option would be to use a solar battery. A solar battery enables you to store any unused electricity generated during the day to use at a different time. For example, at night or even during blackouts!
So no, you will not be left in the dark if you switch to solar energy.
8. Solar Panels Actually Hurt the Environment More Than They Help It
It’s a fact there are issues with how solar panels are made. Fossil fuels are needed to burn at high temperatures to produce the silicon needed for the solar panels.
Additionally, it’s particularly hard to recycle solar panels at the moment. It is a very complex process that only a few companies in the world are able to do at present.
Does this mean solar panels are actually doing more harm than good?
No! Although there are some issues with how solar panels are made and recycled, solar energy is still the best option.
Being a renewable energy means that after production, solar panels are a zero-emission energy source. In the long run, continuing to burn fossil fuels for electricity rather than using alternatives, such as solar power, will be more harmful to the environment.
Technology is moving at a fast pace, and we will eventually be able to produce and recycle solar panels in a more environmentally friendly way in the future.
9. Solar Panels Are Ugly
You’ve invested all this money into a house so of course you want it to look good.
Solar panels have gained mixed reviews when it comes to their look. Although a subjective matter, it still plays an important role in deciding whether or not solar panels are for you.
Some consider traditional solar panels to be bulky and look odd sitting on top of the roof tiles. But there’s a solution to this: in-roof solar panels!
In-roof solar panels actually sit within the roof itself, providing a sleeker finish.
Yes, they are a greater investment than traditional solar panels, but they also bring further benefits. These include:
- Pest proofing
- Solar panels act as roof tiles
If aesthetics is a factor for you, then look no further than in-roof solar panels!
10. It’s Better to Wait Until Solar Panels Are More Advanced
This is not the case at all! Solar panels are the best they have ever been.
Solar energy is not that new of an idea. From creating fire with mirrors to the solar panels as we know them today, solar energy has been around for centuries.
Right now, solar panel installation is at its lowest price in years, and they are more efficient now than they have ever been. So why not get yours now?
Key Takeaways
The rumours are … FALSE. From costs to aesthetics, all of these common solar panel myths have been debunked.
Hopefully, you now feel like you have some well-rounded knowledge about solar panels, and you can make that final jump into starting your solar energy journey. So why not start now?