Solar power fact or fiction

Solar energy is found everywhere including the internet. With information overload, it can be difficult to discern what information are facts or myths about solar energy. This article will help you better understand the real pros and cons of solar panel system ownership. 

Are solar panels expensive?  

The concern is that it is too expensive so why even bother to install solar. The truth is solar prices are falling dramatically as solar technology evolves and advances. If one quote appears too expensive, get another quote until you’re satisfied with the price. The key is to compare quotes from three to four different installers and take the one you like the most. Tax incentives at the federal, and state level are also offered to cut down the total price of installation. Consumers can now expect to recoup the cost of their installation in five to eight years.  

Are installing high maintenance? 

The issue is that installing solar panels is a difficult process. The fact is, solar panels have no moving parts, are mounted to racks, and hooking them up to inverters is a plug-n-play process. Your utility will send an installer to set up a net-meter in your home. Once installed, panels are connected, and are ready to take off. Some believe that installing panels takes a very long time. In reality, most residential  installations take a day or two. The process of submitting plans for approval can take a while, but once approved, installations take a day.

Do I need to store powered batteries after dark? 

The concern is that you’ll need spare batteries to store power when it gets dark. Unless you’re living completely off the grid, you don’t need a battery because the grid is the battery. During the day, you generate more power than you need so it’s imported onto the grid. At night, when your panels are dormant, you get that energy back from the grid. If you use more energy than you generate, you pay for it. But if you generate more than you use, the utility pays you. Generally at the end of the year, if you harvest power more than you use, the utility will pay you for that power. 

If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years. For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.