Solar Isnt Ideal If Youre About To Move
Solar is a great financial investment, but it can take some time to reach the break-even point so often heralded by industry sales reps. The average solar panel payback period in the U.S. is around seven and a half years. For a young homeowner who may be moving in the coming years, putting solar panels on his or her roof might feel like an unworthy investment. But, as youll learn later in this article, solar can actually improve your property value and thus increase your return when you do sell your home. So as long as you plan to buy your system with a cash purchase or loan, this disadvantage of solar energy can be easily avoided.
Key Takeaways: Comparing The Pros And Cons Of Solar Energy
- Rooftop solar panels arent the perfect fit for everyone, but thats okay. Like any other home efficiency product, solar panels provide clear benefits to homeowners that are in need of energy upgrades and electricity bill reduction. Not everyone fits that description.
- The pros of solar outweigh the cons in most situations: for most solar shoppers, the benefit of saving on electricity bills is enough to make solar worth it! Adding increased home value and insulation against rising energy costs only sweetens the deal.
- The best way to compare solar quotes for your property is to start comparing offers from high-quality solar installer today, for free.
Solar Panels Are Difficult To Move Once Installed
Technically speaking, you could transfer your solar panels to your new home. But realistically, this almost never happens. Why? Because solar panels are custom-tailored to fit your roof, so moving them to a new location doesnt make sense.
In most cases of people moving to a new home, the value of solar panels they had installed is tacked onto the home price. One study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory revealed that an average solar array increases home value by $15,000.12 So, even though you would have to break up with your beloved solar panels, theyll practically pay for the next set you install on your new home.
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Pro: Solar Is Renewable And Clean Energy
Solar power systems still generate some emissions and pollution during their manufacturing process. However, during their operation, solar panels do not generate additional greenhouse gases that warm the atmosphere. Once your solar power system is set up, you can live comfortably knowing that your home isnt making a negative impact on the environment. This means that overall, solar is a much cleaner alternative to conventional sources of energy.
Solar power is also renewable, meaning it will never run out. Fossil fuels like coal and oil, on the other hand, are depletable. In the case of oil, at least, experts forecast it will run out in a couple of decades. By hopping over to solar, youre hastening societys transition towards renewable energy.
Its Not Right For Every Property
Not every property is a good fit for solar power.
Some properties are simply too cramped to find any space to build a system. Others are covered in shade and wouldnt get the sunlight required to generate enough energy.
While there are technologies like shade optimizers and custom racking to mitigate these concerns, they only accomplish so much. If you dont have anywhere to put your panels, its going to be a real challenge to make solar work for your home.
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Save Money On Energy Bills
Fuelling your house with solar-generated electricity can shave a hefty sum off your monthly energy bills. Typically, a 3.5 kWp solar PV system could save you roughly £534 each year, depending on where youre located in the UK.
Your energy bill savings will depend on two things:
Solar Can Reduce Or Eliminate Your Utility Bill
Over the last century, electricity has evolved from a luxury item to a basic commodity needed for everyday life. Instead of merely lighting homes at night, we now use electricity to cook, cool our homes, and power all manner of crucial electronic devices, including our cars. Even with those consumption increases in other areas, lighting still accounts for around 20% of total electricity costs in the US.
Thus, as our overall reliance on electricity increases, so do the monthly costs. For most people, reducing electricity consumption to lower their monthly bills is a fine idea, but its also very difficult to change old habits.
Thus, more and more people are choosing to install solar panels on their homes to find those savings without having to drastically change their lifestyle. When looking at the pros and cons of solar panels, the ability to reduce or even eliminate your utility bill is often seen as one of the biggest benefits of home solar.
Since solar energy is a nearly infinite natural resource, you can capitalize on it to reduce your electricity costs. You can use a smaller solar power system to supplement your power needs, or even meet all your electricity requirements with a large enough system. In either case, youre reducing your monthly electricity costs.
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Solar Is A Profitable Investment
If you buy a grid-tie system , you can expect your investment into solar to turn a profit in the long run.
Assuming the national average cost of electricity, it would take about 6.08 years to recoup your investment into a $10,000 system. Beyond that point, you start to generate a profit from your system.
In fact, over the 25-year life of the solar panel warranty, we estimate you would earn $31,031 on energy bills after clearing the initial payback period.
Solar Power Is A Long
Even if you have the finances ready and your house is suitable for a solar power system, it’s important to evaluate your future plans, because a solar power system is a long-term commitment. If you are planning to move in the near future, you may want to reconsider the decision as you will not have time to enjoy the savings the solar panels offer.
Additionally, unlike a refrigerator or car, you cant simply return your solar panels to the store if you decide you dont like them. This is especially true if youre locked into a financing agreement for the cost of the panels.
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Solar Is Not Right For All Building Types Or Locations
Although modern solar systems are very diverse and versatile, some buildings are simply not suited to solar. Having sufficient roof space with adequate sun exposure is absolutely essential, and if your roof is not orientated in the right direction or gets too much shade, solar may simply not work for you.
Your best bet is to consult several professional solar companies and see if they can come up with a solution that will suit your building and location. If solar simply wont work, you can look into other renewable energy options such as home wind turbines.
Its Better If You Own Your Home
Solar can be a profitable investment, but the payback math assumes youll be living in the same property for the full duration of the 25-year warranty.
It takes several years to break even on the initial cost of the system before you start to pocket the savings from your energy bill. Solar makes a lot less sense if you dont own your home, or have the urge to move within the next few years.
The good news is that because solar increases property values, you are likely to recoup your investment into the system when you go to sell your home. But most people who go solar do it because they want to be self-sufficient and generate their own electricity for the next few decades.
Think about whether youll stick around for a while in your current property before you make the long-term investment into solar.
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They Contain Toxic Materials
Despite their air-cleaning qualities, solar panels are made with a concoction of toxic materials. Although these chemicals wont affect your home, the manufacture and waste stages of a panels life can release a lot of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere.
However, a study published by Nature Energy showed that the global environmental impact of creating solar panels is vastly outweighed by the environmental benefits of using them. Only 4% of the energy generated by a solar panel is offset by the energy required to create it making solar power one of the worlds cleanest renewable energies.
Solar Energy Storage Is Expensive
Heres the hard reality: Energy storage devices for rooftop solar panels cost thousands and thousands of dollars. Perhaps the most advanced product on the market today, Teslas Powerwall costs around $7,200 as of April 2021 for one solar battery and how many you need depends on your current electricity bills Additionally, Tesla only sells the Powerwall to those who also buy solar panels.
The reason why solar storage and energy storage in general is so expensive is that its uncharted territory. In 2010, you would have paid $40,000 for an average residential solar system, whereas todaythe price is half that.11 Were optimistic that 10 years from now, solar storage along with the panels themselves will cost even less than they are today.
This is why most rooftop solar owners currently opt for a net metering setup. With this arrangement, your retail electricity provider agrees to buy excess solar power off your hands. Chariot Energy happens to be one of those providers! During peak generating hours, the excess solar energy you generate and dont use is added to the grid. In turn, your electricity company will pay you for the energy you supplement to your local area.
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Cannot Be Used At Night
No energy can be produced by your solar panels at night which essentially means your solar panels can only generate energy 12 hours of a full day. Without any sunlight hitting the solar panels then there will be no energy produced.
This is a disadvantage of solar panels but may be something that is overcome in the future with new technology. There are already talks about an anti solar panel that is able to produce power at night.
Power Can Be Stored And Used At Night
Some all-in-one systems come with solar batteries included like Enphase . These solar systems let you store power you generate during the day and use it at night instead.
This would benefit homeowners that use a majority of power at night. Similar to commercial businesses like supermarkets or schools.
When you store power you become independent from the grid. Rather than buy energy, you can use the energy that has been stored.
This could provide even further savings for homeowners. Its best invested with high end solar panels to see the full benefits of solar battery storage.
High end solar panels tend to have a higher performance and generate more energy, meaning you can store more power quicker.
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Finding Quality Local Solar Installers And Easily Comparing Quotes Can Be Difficult
Theres a common association that many homeowners have with solar. It has to do with pushy door-to-door solar sales reps that pressure consumers to sign a 20-year solar contract before they explain the full scope of the offer or the credibility of the solar company. Solar is one of the fastest growing markets in the world, and there are plenty of companies that are deploying aggressive sales tactics to get their fair share of the market. As a result, for many people, shopping for solar can be a stressful and confusing scenario. Luckily, there are easier ways to shop for solar that puts the homeowner in control. The EnergySage Marketplace is a 100% online comparison-shopping platform that allows you to compare solar quotes from top pre-screened installers in your area.
Panel Waste Is High And Recycling Is Low
Recycling remains one of the biggest hurdles in all forms of renewable energy.
If we have to use rare metals and non-recyclable components to make collectors for renewable energy, then were still going to eventually run out of the materials we need to harvest sunlight and wind.
One of the benefits of recycling electronics, like solar panels, is that many of the metals can be recovered, and the glass can also be recycled.
Solar panels have some toxic materials in them, so they cant be put in the landfill. There are several ways they can be dealt with.
- Reusable components can be recycled. Metals, alloys, glass, and some plastics can be reused if they can be properly separated during recycling. One major problem with e-recycling is that it gets sent overseas where its done improperly and a lot of the materials are still lost.
- Toxic components can be disposed of properly. Lead, mercury, and other toxic materials have to be disposed of safely so they dont leach into the land and water table. Responsible e-recycling will take care of this waste.
- Refurbished panels can be resold for use in a new application. There isnt much of a market for refurbished solar panels right now because were getting them so cheaply from China. However, as materials run out there will be a desire for refurbished solar panels and this will cut down on solar panel waste.
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What Are The Disadvantages Of Solar Energy
One of the most commonly cited disadvantages of solar energy use in the home is the high cost of installing the panels. Solar energy currently has the highest initial cost of any form of renewable energy, and depending on where you live, the return on your investment may not be that high. Even though tax credits and rebates exist, many Americans cant afford the high up-front cost of solar panels.
Additionally, homes that have a limited amount of sunlight annually may not benefit from installing solar panels. Residents in locations with latitudes far from the equator, like Canada, may not get enough sunlight for the installation costs of solar panels to be worth the investment. Similarly, locations that have a high percentage of rainy or cloudy days might not have enough sunlight to generate enough power.
Because solar power relies on the energy of the sun, another one of the disadvantages of solar power is that it can be somewhat unreliable. If homes are off the traditional power grid, they should have a solar battery. Solar batteries are able to store solar energy and discharge energy when the panels are not able to generate enough power.
Most Effective Power Source For Remote Areas
Especially for remote areas that have no good infrastructure and lack a connection to big city districts, solar energy can be a quite important source for energy.
Imagine you live quite remotely in the middle of a desert and you will not be able to get electricity from local institutions.
Thus, for instance, you will not be able to use electronic devices or to use lights in your house. Your only solution for electricity generation will likely be solar power.
Thus, in remote regions, solar energy can be regarded as vital energy source for people to stay connected to the outer world.
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Can’t Install Solar On All Roof Types
Unfortunately, not everyone can install solar panels on their house, as not all roofing materials are ideal for the task. For example, your roof must be able to hold the panels firmly in place and support the weight of technicians during installation. Slate and wood roofs are especially problematic, as they limit the installers’ ability to walk around.
Depending upon the physical design of your roof, you may also incur a higher-than-normal cost to install solar panels. If your roof has a complex design, solar panel installation is typically more expensive. Steep or dramatic angles, lots of small sections, and/or skylights can all combine to create a situation where panels have to be installed in multiple complex arrays, instead of one or two large arrays, which increases the overall cost.
They Require The Right Roof
Solar panels require your roof to be south-facing, at a 30-45 degree angle, and unobstructed by shade. If your roof doesnt fit the criteria, then you might struggle to set up an effective solar PV system.
Theres a lot you can do to optimise your roof conditions, including buying high-efficiency solar panels , cutting back trees , and using tilted racks .
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Solar Helps Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Global warming is arguably the most significant threat the world faces, and human activity is the primary contributor. When gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons , and nitrous oxides are released into the environment, they prevent heat from the earth from escaping into space. As a result, the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere continues to rise, causing climate change.
While the earth has always had greenhouse gases, the amount entering the atmosphere has increased exponentially over the last century. If left unchecked, these gases pose a significant threat to the survival of human beings.
While we know that most of the emissions come from the commercial activities of a handful of companies, many homeowners still worry about their individual contribution to global warming. At a global level, the average carbon footprint per person is 4 tons. However, in the United States of America, this average rises to 16 tons.
Current data indicates that we must reduce the global annual carbon footprint to under 2 tons per person by 2050 to prevent a planet-wide rise in temperature of 2 degrees Celsius. Per the current climate science, an increase of 2 degrees Celsius could result in severe weather events, water shortages, rising sea levels, and more that would be catastrophic to human, plant, and animal life. This is not an easy feat, but we can achieve it through conscious, deliberate, and concerted efforts.
