Solar Myths Debunking the 5 Most Common Solar Energy Myths

The first solar myths is regarding cost. New developments in the solar panel arena are so dramatic and frequent that few people have kept up with the changes. In the past decade alone, the cost of solar has fallen 60%, and in the past four decades, the cost has plummeted 99%, according to the 2018 MIT study titled Explaining the plummeting cost of solar power.

We hear you say, “Sure, but what does all this good stuff mean to me?”

Even without seeing your individual electric bill, we can share with you some numbers based on national averages to show how solar can completely cover the amount a typical homeowner spends on electricity.

Of course, your system and situation are unique to you, so you might need more power or less power than “average.” If you heat with wood, coal, or oil, most likely you need less power.

Source: Green Tech Media

The average system size for a residential application is about 6 KW. For this amount of power, the average gross cost has fallen from $50,000 to just $18,000 in about the past decade.

For 2020, the federal tax credit is at 26%. Subtract that amount from the purchase price, and you’re looking at approximately $14,000 for a residential solar system that can cover most, if not all, of your electricity needs. People who propose solar myths don’t actually know or realize these numbers. That’s why we have solar energy myths floating today.

Solar is a financially wise investment. The returns are steady and not influenced by market changes. Solar’s ability to avoid the politics and price volatility that increasingly characterize fossil fuel markets is a major advantage.

We’d be happy to calculate the exact amount of time it would take to pay off a solar system for your home. Click here or give us a call at (717) 768-7796.

Our team of installers is certified by the NABCEP, the governing accreditation organization for solar companies. For this certificate, we’ve taken over 58 hours of advanced training and passed a rigorous examination. This means that your solar array will be installed using industry-leading equipment and practices. As long as you’re working with a qualified, local NABCEP licensed solar professional, you won’t have to worry about this solar myth.

You should also look at reviews. Using Google to search for reviews of solar installation companies is a great way to do research and will help you make a list of installers with great reviews. See our page How to choose a trusted solar installer for more tips.

Another very important factor in avoiding roof damage is the choice of materials that mount the solar system onto your roof to ensure a sturdy connection. Belmont Solar has been in business for almost 20 years, so we can lean on those two decades of valuable experience. One thing we have done to make installations worry free is design our own brackets. We even went further and bought a company called Tough Trac, a leader in the solar equipment industry since 2009 because of the quality and durability of its products. Tough Trac now designs and makes all the mounting materials to our liking and exact specifications, standing by its slogan: “To be tough, you have to be built tough.”

By making Tough Trac part of Belmont Solar, we can now further perfect the mounting materials. Find more information on our Belmont Solar ToughTrac Page. As you can see in the picture, the foot of the bracket has specially-designed caulk/sealer that will adhere to the roof and make the connection absolutely waterproof. As a result, you can have peace of mind knowing you are protected from this solar myth becoming a reality.

Photo Source: Thalia Speksnijder

This brings us to the topic of an in-home battery backup. More and more Americans are choosing the security of an in-home battery backup system to keep their families safe.

Because of climate change, serious weather events that threaten the electric power grid and result in power outages are on the rise. Sustained outages will lead to the loss of perishable foods, loss of data and income for businesses and home offices, damage to plumbing systems, etc.

Traditionally, home and business owners would rely on gas- or diesel-powered generators during outages. However, if these types of generators sit for long periods without being used, they can have problems starting right at the moment when you need them the most. Generators can, therefore, become unreliable and costly to maintain.

In-home batteries (or in a commercial setting) work by storing electricity for when you need it and will save money with or without a solar system. You can charge the batteries during the off-peak hours when the cost of power is lower. Of course, charging the batteries with clean solar power is the best solution from a financial, as well as an environmental, point of view. Battery backup complements a solar system by storing clean power for the quiet and dark hours of the day when sunlight is not available.

Hybrid battery backup systems are configured to receive a charge either through the grid or with solar. This has a big advantage over a grid-tie-only system, as the power companies require the grid-tie system to shut down during a power outage to protect the line workers.  The grid-tie system will not power your house during a power outage, but a hybrid system can. Instead of shutting down during a power outage, it will immediately switch over to battery backup. Most likely, you will not even know there was a power outage, as the switch is nearly instantaneous.

Because of our 20 years of experience in the Amish community, we have an extended specialization in battery backup systems. Naturally, we want to inform our customers about why our services and materials are different, but it is also our responsibility to inform you of these differences. We care about you. That’s why we share information like this on our website.

Battery backup with, or even without, solar will help prepare your family or business for the increase of weather-related disasters. To learn more about solar battery backup systems and solutions, visit our battery backup page.

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The fourth of the solar myths is how complicated the system is. Contrary to this solar myth, the reality is that a solar system is definitely not rocket science and is fairly straightforward. The complicated work of converting sunlight into DC (direct current) electricity is done by the solar panels themselves. The DC current feeds into the inverter where it is converted into AC (alternating current) which is compatible with your local electric utility grid. And that’s it! Now you know what the system does.

Just as you do not need to be a ham radio operator to tune your radio, you don’t need a physics degree to understand your solar system. Most people who go solar choose a relatively simple setup, which pays the quickest and gives the best return on their investment. At Belmont Solar, we are all about keeping things simple and maximizing your benefits versus costs by using the best field-tested and proven equipment.

1. The solar panels—Photovoltaic panels are the largest expense in your system, and their optimal performance depends on proper placement and mounting. This is why you need the professionalism of an experienced solar installer.  

2. The inverter – The inverter takes the power from the panels and converts it into grid-compliant AC for connecting to your household appliances and the grid. Quality is important, as inverters are the weak link in a solar system. Belmont Solar only uses the best equipment, tested and proven to last. That’s why we only use equipment with a 25-year warranty.

3. The mounting system — Obviously, when we promise that the equipment we use will last for at least 25 years (as stated in the warranty), it needs to remain securely attached to the roof for all that time, and probably longer. This makes the job of  mounting it critically important, requiring Belmont Solar’s experience and expertise.

The simple approach is definitely the way to go whenever possible, but we do want to mention that some people decide on a slightly more complicated setup. We are seeing an increasing number of our customers choosing to have the added power security of a battery backup, a great benefit, especially in these changing and uncertain times. We invite you to read our page on Battery backup.

In conclusion, we strongly recommend that you choose an experienced and local installer who uses proven, field-tested equipment that is as simple as your situation merits. By choosing Belmont Solar, you can rest assured that we will stand behind our work with a 10-year workmanship warranty and a 25-year manufacture’s warranty.  

The exception is when homeowners have leased solar systems and then decided to sell. Leasing is a popular option for those who want to go solar without investing in an array. However, if they want to put their home on the market they will find that selling a house with a leased solar system is not straightforward.

This is because not all prospective home buyers are interested in taking over the lease and having its cost be an additional financial responsibility. Most buyers will ask the homeowner to buy out the lease first. Your upfront costs are low when leasing solar, but you never own the system. If you don’t own the solar, all the state and federal incentives go to the owner of the system, a third party, and not to you- the homeowner.

Zillow indicates a 4.1 percent (4.1%) increase in resell value for a house with solar, so let’s look at the numbers. Take an average house in our neighborhood, Lancaster County, PA. At the time this blog was written, the average from Zillow Home Value Index was $283,789. Your new solar installation will add $9,790 to your home’s value.

The real estate industry now sees the value solar adds, and is working hard to create better, more accurate methods for determining the market value of solar system and of properties with solar compared to properties without solar. Obviously, when you add an asset to your home that lowers your monthly cost by reducing, or eliminating, the utility bill, your home’s value increases. Below are the links to studies that clearly show how solar adds value to a house.

Solar Energy Myth #3 “Solar energy will power my home when the power goes out” has also been debunked. When a storm or utilities shutdown occurs, the power companies require your inverter to be shutdown to prevent your energy from back-feeding through the power lines and potentially injuring a utility worker. However, with an in-home battery-backup or a hybrid battery backup system, you can keep your home powered during a power-outage.

Solar Myth #4 “Solar systems are complicated and need a lot of maintenance” is not true either. Solar panels and the supporting system is not “rocket-science” and is fairly straightforward. You don’t need to become a physics major to understand your solar panel system. And the last myth (#5) we disproved was “Houses with solar panels are difficult to sell”. We have discovered that contrary to the popular belief, homes with solar panels installed actually are worth 4.1 percent (4.1%) more than homes without.