Top 7 Myths About Solar Power Debunked
We notice that there is an upward trend in the use of solar power around us. People now use free solar energy to power their front yard, gardens, and house using solar power and solar panels. Though this form of energy is renewable, pollution-free and, harnessed from nature at a significantly low cost than electricity made using coal, there are several misconceptions around this technology.
We highly recommend that you to read till the end, as in this section, we will debunk some of the myths and present the facts that are related to the use of solar energy but are commonly misunderstood by people.
Myth 1: We need to use up the solar power generated in the day time itself: It’s a common misconception that the power generated during the daytime must be used in the daytime to stop the remaining energy from redirecting to the grid. If your energy utilization is less than the total energy generated, consider installing a battery to store up the energy for powering the house during the night time. This can stop the unused energy from redirecting to the grid and used for powering up your home instead.
Myth 2: Using Solar power requires a lot of maintenance: Solar-powered devices including lights, posts, and, panels require only minimal maintenance and cleaning to remove any dirt or dust off the devices. Cleaning these a few times a year can boost up the working efficiency by 20 – 25%. Also, most of the solar-powered device promises warranties and yearly professional checks which help in upkeeping the solar devices.
Myth 3: Solar energy is very expensive to use: This is another common misconception as the benefits of solar power outweigh the cost of solar devices within the first few years, depending on the electricity generated and personal usage. It might be a good idea to keep track of the electricity produced and used from time to time to avoid any electricity wastage.
Myth 4: Solar power doesn’t work in the night time: The truth is that solar power uses solar energy in the morning and after the sunset, the solar devices can convert the energy to power the house or run electrical appliances.
Myth 5: Solar power cannot be used in cold weather: The common misconception is that solar power uses solar heat to generate energy but, in reality, it needs solar light to produce energy and convert to electricity. Hence, during the cold weather, solar power can still make electricity by using indirect sunlight.
Myth 6: We don’t need solar power for a small family: The use of solar power to run the electrical appliances or power the house is not relevant to the size of the house, but the amount of energy generated and used is. The solar power is a clean form of energy and economical when used in conjunction with grid energy. So, utilizing solar power is equally beneficial for small and large families.
Myth 7: Only rich invest in solar power: This is a great myth that only people belonging to the high economic class invest in solar power due to the cost involved. The fact is now more and more people across different sectors including low- and medium-income groups are showing interest in investing in solar power as the technology has become cheaper and affordable. Also, higher electricity prices are a great cause of concern for everyone, and a real reason to switch from grid electricity to solar power.
Overall, it can be perceived that though there are several myths linked to the usage of solar power, we need to learn more and educate each other about it, as it can bring great benefits to the masses by reducing the usage of non-renewable energy and replacing by clean solar power.