7 Reasons You Don't Use Solar Energy and Why You Are Wrong
Monday, April 12, 2010 at 12:55:00 PM - by Nate Lew
Misconceptions are rampant. Politicians have a big stake in your confusion. What you think you know can hurt you.

It's hard to argue the fact that reducing our dependence on fossil fuel will benefit everyone and that the economy will benefit as well by our conversion to solar or wind energy.

Now is a very exciting time for the solar industry and rebates make solar energy a no-brainer. It's a revolution a long time in the making and seriously overdue. The financial return far exceeds what one would imagine and if we -as a country - take full advantage of the technology, we will have made a more sustainable future for generations to come.

While the number of solar panels being installed in homes across the world is increasing, so is the number of misconceptions regarding them. Listed below are some of the more common examples...don't be fooled by them!

Misconception #1: Converting to Solar Energy Means Sacrificing Modern Conveniences
Nothing could be farther from the truth! Solar energy can provide electricity to run household items (such as your computer, TV, stereo), pump your water, power your major appliances, supply you with internet and wash your clothes. It powers up your tools and provides you with light. Home and business owners can use solar power to improve the power they get from the electric company or install an entire system to supply all their needs. So who's behind this misconception? Let's face it...the big utility companies have a vested interest in keeping this kind of information under wraps.



Misconception #2: Wind Turbines Kill Birds
The truth is that studies regarding this topic have concluded that these industrial turbines kill less than two per each per year. Given that home-sized turbines are much smaller, the number is thought to be even too small to research. The ever-rising price of oil has heightened the interest in wind power, so why isn't more being done to promote its use? Regulations, safety concerns, and bureaucratic red tape are slowing the implementation of wind power strategies. The fact is that the amount of wind power available right now in the atmosphere is greater than the world's current energy consumption. Statistics show that if by 2020, the U.S. is getting 20% of its electricity via wind power, global warming emissions will be reduced equivalent to removing 70 million cars from the road or planting over 100 million acres of trees.

Misconception #3: Solar Energy is Too Expensive
What's expensive are power plants...and we all know who absorbs the majority of those costs! In reality, it's less expensive to install a solar system than to connect to the grid if you are more than 500 yards from the connection. If we got wiser about our energy usage, the money we'd save would pay for our transition to a solar-based energy system. Each year our country continues to spend more on research for conventional energy s than on renewable ones.

Misconception #4: Solar Energy Systems Require a Backup Energy Source
Talk to anyone who knows about - or uses - solar power and you will find that this is not the case. It's reported by homeowners who have used solar energy systems for over 10 years that it provided 100% of their electrical needs. While most solar heating systems are designed to have a conventional backup system, it really isn't necessary.



Misconception #5: Solar Panels Will Last Forever
Just like anything else, with solar panels there are different levels of quality. Some are more efficient, some last longer and some are a waste of money. Panels that cost more will last longer, but the average solar panel should last for about 25 years. Considering that they'll pay for themselves in much less time than that, it's seen by most as a worthwhile investment.

Misconception #6: It Takes More Energy to produce PV's Than They Can Ever Produce
According to recent studies, today's solar electric modules provide an energy-based payback of 2 - 4 years. PV panels, which come with a 25-year warranty, can provide power for 50 years. If you do the math, you'll realize that PV panels can create 10 times the energy required to make them.




Misconception #7: Solar Energy Systems Are an Eyesore On Your Home
Some of the earlier solar energy equipment may appear a bit large and unsightly, but with the proper planning, you can make the panels look like they've been there since the house was designed and built. The newer panels have layers of overlapping cells, which create a powerful power-producing source and extensive research continues into the efficiency of solar panels well into the future.

One such innovation in solar technology that has home and business owners excited is the use of shingles that are actually adapted photovoltaic cells made into roof shingles. They are normally black in color and blend in beautifully with the look of your home.

In closing, consider this...solar energy is abundant and if we can save 75 - 90% of the energy we use, we could use that money to transition to a renewable-based economy. A project like this could provide decades of employment, increased national security and a way to invigorate some of our rural economies.

People everywhere are opting for a greener lifestyle, and in time the reduction in utility bills will make the investment of a solar energy system pay for itself. Our economy will improve as a result of our conversion to wind or solar energy. If home and business owners received help from the government in the initial expense of the transition, more people would be excited to jump on the "green" bandwagon.

This was a great post. Solar energy is something that we have wanted for years. We've tried to get accurate info, learn what we can about it and then started to price it. For the pricing, we discovered that we would not reach a "break even" price for 8-10 years and the battery replacement would make it so that we would have recurring costs that would make it so that we would never feel like it was ever any cheaper than grid. Wind power would pay back in about 12 years, but the cost and the maintainance cost would again, make it no better than grid.
The big plus was having it no matter what happened to the grid (except for an emp, which would kill it just as dead as the grid) and there is also the fact that we are reducing the need for more power plants.
The biggest negative? finding a reliable dealer who wouldn't rip us off or treat us like crap ...we've tried to get someone out here to do the required "study" and one wouldn't come out, two wouldn't answer, one sent us a "pre-form" and another canceled at the last minute because it interfered with his plans. I can't trust these kind of people to not rip me off. They all treated us like our business wasn't important to them. If I'm going to spend what seems like zillion dollars and go into debt, I had better get at least decent service. Solar is "in" so us peons should be willing to put up with all of this.

Yes and no.....

How many birds are killed by automobiles, trucks, trains, buses, and locomotives? Knee jerk, "Not in my back yard nonsense"!
Photo Voltaic panels are a terrific idea and concept but like much of the current "recycle" movement, many times the winners are the manufacturers rather than the consumers. I fail to see the reasonable reduction in installed cost per watt over the last several years. There just has to be some way to pass some of the value of manufacturing to scale to the end user (that's us).
Currently, the most cost effective usage of solar energy is in solar orientation for passive heat and in solar (or solar assisted) hot water heating.

I am a firm believer in the advantages of most all types of solar energy, but think that a combination of politics and corporate "greed" for lack of a better word, needs to sort itself out.

Bob

I need 150 amps to run house and workshop. I need both 120 and 220 volts.

Using solar, how much would it cost me to put in a system that met those needs?

wulfin wrote:I need 150 amps to run house and workshop. I need both 120 and 220 volts.

Using solar, how much would it cost me to put in a system that met those needs?

That might be as high as 33 kilowatts!

Current photovoltaic installed cost around $4 per watt = $132,000

wulfin wrote:I need 150 amps to run house and workshop. I need both 120 and 220 volts.

Using solar, how much would it cost me to put in a system that met those needs?

Using solar is good but being practical with it is another thing. Now if you wanted to go off grid you would be using solar for everything except high amperage things I.E. welder, pumps, dryer, electric ranges, etc.

There is a lot of planing that has to go along with this also. Your looking around 16,500 watts around 66,000$ @ 4$ a watt minus around 30 percent govy incentives (not sure what it is) about 46,000 (The conversion of Amps to Watts is governed by the equation Watts = Amps x Volts For example 1 amp * 110 volts = 110 watts)
To contend with 150 amps. BUT you will not be using everything at one time so we do have a small planner.

On the main page or up under forum & search there is an Energy Estimator, here is the link p4/energy_calc.php

TY for the cacls.

Johnny wrote:

wulfin wrote:I need 150 amps to run house and workshop. I need both 120 and 220 volts.
Using solar, how much would it cost me to put in a system that met those needs?

Using solar is good but being practical with it is another thing. Now if you wanted to go off grid you would be using solar for everything except high amperage things I.E. welder, pumps, dryer, electric ranges, etc.

There is a lot of planing that has to go along with this also. Your looking around 16,500 watts around 66,000$ @ 4$ a watt minus around 30 percent govy incentives (not sure what it is) about 46,000 (The conversion of Amps to Watts is governed by the equation Watts = Amps x Volts For example 1 amp * 110 volts = 110 watts)
To contend with 150 amps. BUT you will not be using everything at one time so we do have a small planner.

On the main page or up under forum & search there is an Energy Estimator, here is the link p4/energy_calc.php

You are certainly right Johnny - it's just that he said "I need 150 amps to run house and workshop. I need both 120 and 220 volts. Using solar, how much would it cost me to put in a system that met those needs?"

Nice post. We have been programmed to love our oil companies so its always nice to realize there are other ways to live than by feeding the corporations.