Disadvantages To Solar Power At Home
So if the Sun is a constant (renewable and sustainable) source of energy, aren’t you mad not to be switching to a solar power home system ? Not only will you be doing your bit for the environment but you will save on energy bills each month. Well it’s not that straightforward unfortunately. Here are a few of the disadvantages of solar power that need to be considered before you start installing solar panels or a passive water heating system.
The biggest problem for many people that may have just taken out a large mortgage on a house is cost of installing a solar powered system. Although solar systems are becoming cheaper, this installation cost can still be prohibitive to some people.
Depending on the size of your solar system and the amount of energy you need, a typical system could be anything from 8000 to 80000. Although this is offset by many state and government incentives like tax rebates, the initial cost still has to be found by the home owner.
Another disadvantage that is often mentioned is that it can be unreliable. If the climate is not conducive to solar power generation, then a solar power system is not a good idea.
Another consideration that many people may not immediately think about is that solar power generation is often out of phase with the average households needs. The best time to create solar power is around midday. This is normally when most people are at work and are not using any energy at home. Conversely, when they need energy most, at night or early morning, the Sun is not effective.
So unless you can store the energy that the Sun creates, solar power is not viable. Fortunately there are a number of ways to store this energy. The easiest way is to send it to the utility service provider for storage. The more complicated way is to have your own battery bank where the energy can be stored.
Solar panels can be large and often have to be placed in specific locations. This may interfere with the look or design of the house which could be a problem to some people. The same applies to flat plate collectors or water tanks.
Also large solar panels or a solar water tank may obstruct the views of neighbors or cause them to be concerned. In many cases this can be overcome by mentioning that you are installing the system before hand. Systems like solar panels are also becoming more integrated into the building materials.
Another potential negative of solar power, which is essentially in the eyes of the beholder, is that you are more involved in providing your energy needs. This may involve more work on your part putting the system together and keeping it maintained. However, some people may find this interesting and enjoy being more self reliant.
