Solar Energy Is An Intermittent Energy Source
There are three main reasons why solar is considered an intermittent source of power:
All of these factors have been used to argue that solar power cannot be relied on for base load or mission-critical applications. However, this is changing with the emergence of cost-effective battery solutions. Batteries allow homeowners to store their solar power and draw energy from the battery when their solar panels arent producing energy.
The most popular residential solar battery is the Tesla Powerwall, a 13.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. Other manufacturers, such as sonnen, LG, and , offer great solar batteries for home energy storage, as well.
Ongoing advances in battery storage are a sign that intermittency may not be a limitation on solar power for long.
The Five Main Reasons Homeowners Dont Buy Solar
As a residential solar professional, sitting across the kitchen table can be a hallowed arena where you battle with homeowners over the benefits of rooftop solar for their homes.Of course, the battle is likely not with the actual homeowners but rather with their resistance to change or their doubts about the incredible upsides of solar.
Making matters worse, leads need to meet certain factors to even be considered viable. Common situations, including if a person is renting or is unable to qualify for credit and if a house has too much shading or an old roof, will eliminate nearly half of all prospects. What this means is that your qualified leads become even more valuable, as maximizing sales from viable prospects can make the difference between just getting by or achieving high levels of business success.
Anthony Fiorino
This brief guide aims to help business owners and sales professionals identify some of the most common reasons homeowners say no to solar and describes effective ways to overcome objections and win more deals. For claritys sake, please note that these tips focus on homeowners who might outright buy a rooftop solar system or finance to own an installation this guide does not necessarily cover leasing objections.
That said, five of the most common reasons homeowners might not buy rooftop solar include the following:
1. They think solar is too expensive.
2. They want to wait for the next best technology.
5. They dont understand solar.
Take Advantage Of The Solar Power Benefits
People often ask themselves ‘Why is solar energy good?‘ and, as a result, fail to realise the importance of solar technology. Solar power has evidently become the trend in renewable energy. Homeowners around the UK installed solar panels on their roof, managing accordingly to reap all the solar energy advantages.
Apart from the obvious financial benefits, there are other pertinent reasons why you should convert to using solar power instead of fossil fuels.
What other reasons should you consider when going solar? Here are seven compelling reasons.
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You Cant Take Solar With You
One of the disadvantages of installing solar panels on your home is that it can be expensive to move them, should you decide to move. The net metering agreement with your utility is fixed to the property. Also, finding someone to remove and reinstall your solar panels can be costly.
But, solar panels do add value to your home, so even if you do move, you are likely to see the value of your solar panels reflected in a higher sale price.
If you do plan on moving in the near future, it is best to purchase your solar panels outright. If you have a solar lease or a power purchase agreement , you will need the new owner to take over your agreement, which can be a hassle.
Benefits Of Residential Solar Electricity
Solar energy is sustainable, renewable, and plentiful. As the cost of using solar to produce electricity goes down each year, many Americans are increasingly switching to solar. Now, there are over a million solar installations across the country. Below are additional benefits of switching to solar electricity.
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See Return On Your Investment
Solar panels not only eliminate your electric bill, they can also be a source of extra income. As we mentioned before, net metering allows you to earn money by selling excess power your solar panels generate to your utility.
Some states have other performance-based incentives, like Solar Renewable Energy Credits , that have the potential to earn you hundreds of dollars a year, depending on where you live.
The money you earn from net metering, combined with your electric bill savings and other incentives, goes towards paying back the cost of your system. In areas that have all of these incentives, the payback time for a solar panel system can be as little as four years.
Once your system is paid off, your solar panels will continue to generate free power for your home for the lifetime of the system!
Hot Water Solar Systems
Whole-house hot water systems are the big-scale version of the same kind of solar system that can replace the water heater providing hot water to faucets. Like that system, whole-house heating systems use solar collector panels to heat water that circulates through tubing lacing through the collector panels. But rather than being stored in a relatively small tank for use in plumbing fixtures, this hot water is also circulated through piping that provides warmth to radiators or radiant flooring tubing through the entire home. These systems often serve both purposes: heating water for use at faucets, as well as providing whole-house heating.
These are big-scale systems that use quite large solar collector panels on the roof and sophisticated tanks and circulation technology. Solar hot water heating systems are more commonly used in businesses, but they are also an option for residential use.
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Active Water Heater Systems
There are two types of active solar water heating systems:
How Long Do Solar Panels Last
Many manufacturers give warranties up to 25 or even 30 years, but the panels dont just stop working. No, they are guaranteed to still supply 80% of their original power when new.
A 100 watt panel will supply 80 watts in 30 years. Thats not too shabby.
Even then, solar panels are not ready for the scrap-heap. They will keep working away at a reduced rate for another 20 to 30 years a 50-year working life is not a bad deal, much like a human being!
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Ways To Use Solar Energy
This is a bit of trick subject. Of course theres only one way to use solar energy and that is to convert sunlight into electrical energy, so we can use it.
It isnt until we really sit down with a pencil and paper and brainstorm it that we realize how many places and in how many ways we could use solar if we put our mind to it.
The obvious one is to go the whole hog why not power the whole house with solar?
Benefits Of Using Solar Energy Batteries At Your Home
Thinking of investing in solar energy for your home? If so, this is one of the smartest home improvement projects you can choose. Solar energy is a clean and renewable source of energy hailed as the best alternative to fossil fuels. With solar energy batteries, you will get more reliable electricity, save on costs of energy in your home, and increase your homeâs footprint. Itâs possible in some countries to sell the excess electricity to the national grid.
One of the biggest challenges for the adoption of solar is variability. When thereâs no sunlight, you might have problems getting enough electricity. High-capacity solar energy batteries are a big trend in clean energy industries to help homeowners get the best out of their solar energy systems.
If you plan to install a solar energy system, this post looks at the reasons to include an energy storage system.
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Solar Is Cheaper Than Ever
While electricity prices continue to get more expensive, the cost of solar has continued to fall. Solar is now cheaper than ever in fact, the cost has fallen over 70% in the past decade. These low prices make solar more accessible to more homeowners than ever before.
Installing solar can be even cheaper when you take advantage of solar incentives. For example, if you install a solar system before the end of 2022, you could be eligible for the 26% federal tax credit.
This tax credit is equal to 26% of the total cost of your solar system and is applied to your income taxes. In addition to the federal tax credit, there are many other solar incentives offered locally.
Find out how much you can save on solar with local incentives in your area
Can I Use A Solar Powered Battery Pack Instead Of A Generator
Generators are loud, dirty, wasteful, and very inefficient. They also only provide power for a limited amount of time. On the other hand, solar powered battery packs are environmentally friendly, have a longer life than generators, and emit no noise.
Additionally, solar powered battery packs dont require any servicing or maintenance, they come with a 10-year warranty, and they are smart home ready. Theres a misconception that solar panels only work on bright sunny days. However, solar power battery packs make it possible to use solar energy at night and during adverse weather conditions, meaning your home will never be without a steady supply of energy.
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Everything You Need To Know About Solar Energy
When we say solar energy, were talking about capturing the suns light and converting it to electricity through a process called the photovoltaic effect, or PV. Solar energy thats captured using PV technology can power everything from homes, businesses, cars and aircraft, to small appliances like calculators, portable power stations and more.
The sun is the single most abundant energy source in our solar system. Without it, wed be just another cold rock floating through space. But exactly how powerful is the sun? According to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratories , the amount of energy from sunlight that hits the Earth in one hour could supply the worlds energy needs for an entire year! Thats pretty powerful.
Solar energy has been one of the fastest-growing sources of new energy in the world for many years now. As of 2020, the United States has a total installed solar capacity of 97.7 gigawatts . Thats enough to power nearly 17.7 million homes!* And thanks to improved technology, more affordable materials and increased customer demand, solar continues to become more affordable. For many homeowners, that means rooftop solar now makes economic sense and can provide long-term savings.
Make a commitment to using clean, renewable energy in your own life with a solar energy plan from Green Mountain Energy.
What Is A Solar Generator
Its the same as a electrical generator driven by a petrol engine, except its driven by a solar panel and the energy is stored in a battery. All energy on our planet comes from the sun, whether its stored in petrol, liquid gas, coal or batteries.
A solar generator converts sunlight directly into electricity and stores it in batteries for future use. They are clean, about the same weight and of course, silent!
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Solar Installation: How To Find A Qualified Installer
Its important you choose a certified installation company because they will be able to advise you on all regulations. It’s best to talk to a few installers and get their estimates. Most of them will give you an idea of costs over the phone before arranging a survey on your home. Ask them how long the work will take as well as what the warranty and/or guarantee for their work is. If any guarantees are insurance-backed this will help you avoid any surprises later. If you’re looking to qualify for FiT then your system will need to be installed by a Microgeneration Certification Scheme accredited installer.
Solar Panels Require Space
Solar panels require space in order to meet energy needs. For residential installations, a roof will almost always have enough space. However, when you look at large grid-scale solar installations, space can be a bit of an issue.
This is because solar panels have a lower power density. Power density is how much power can be derived from an energy source within a certain area, measured in watts per square meter . The power density of solar panels is low compared to those of fossil fuels.
This means that you need a larger area of solar panels in order to produce the same amount of energy that a coal plant would. However, the amount of land that was mined for fossil fuels is not considered in this measurement.
So although you would need a large solar power plant and a small coal plant, the mining of coal destroys acres upon acres of land, whereas the solar power plant does not.
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Reasons Why Solar Panels Are Good
In the recent past, many homeowners have realized the need for installing solar panels in their houses rather than electricity as the source of power.
The rate of installing solar panels has even increased since the sun provides energy daily, which makes the solar panels have the ability to produce electricity.
This realization has come as a result of people finding out why solar panels are a good source of energy and comparing solar panels with other sources of power.
The more people realize this fact, the more they will install and begin using solar panels in their homes and other buildings.
The following are ten reasons why solar panels are good.
Top Reasons To Solar Energy
The second Friday in March is Solar Appreciation Day! Were taking advantage of this opportunity to share the major benefits of sun power.
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A Short History Of Solar Panels
The development of solar energy goes back more than 100 years. In the early days, solar energy was used primarily for the production of steam which could then be used to drive machinery. But it wasn’t until the discovery of the “” by Edmond Becquerel that would allow the conversion of sunlight solar electric energy. Becquerel’s discovery then led to the invention in 1893 by Charles Fritts of the first genuine solar cell which was formed by coating sheets of selenium with a thin layer of gold. And from this humble beginning would arise the device we know today as the solar panel.
Russel Ohl, an American inventor on the payroll of Bell Laboratories, patented the world’s first silicon solar cell in 1941. Ohl’s invention led to the production of the first solar panel in 1954 by the same company. Solar panels found their first mainstream use in space satellites. For most people, the first solar panel in their life was probably embedded in their new calculator – circa the 1970s!
Today, solar panels and complete solar panel systems are used to power a wide variety of applications. Yes, solar panels in the form of solar cells are still being used in calculators. However, they are also being used to provide solar power to entire homes and commercial buildings, such as Google’s headquarters in California.
Why Go Solar: Environmental Benefits
The second primary reason people install solar is for the environmental benefits.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency , the electric sector accounts for 27 percent of Americas carbon emissions. Fossil-fuel fired power plants create carbon emissions, as well as contribute to local air pollution in areas close to power plants.
By installing solar, you can reduce your own personal environmental footprint. When you put a solar panel system on your property, you can avoid purchasing carbon-emitting electricity from the grid, pulling directly from your solar panels instead. And even when youre not using the solar electricity directly, youre offsetting the need for carbon-emitting generation by putting your solar energy onto the grid. At the end of the day, a typical residential solar panel system will eliminate three to four tons of carbon emissions each yearthe equivalent of planting over 100 trees annually.
For businesses, going solar can demonstrate your commitment to sustainability, increasing employee morale while also demonstrating sustainable values to potential customers.
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