In the midst of the booming demand for solar, believe it or not, there are still people who are sceptical and in denial about solar PV, its benefits and advantages. Probably, they still hold some misconceptions in their minds or living inside a bubble that limits them to see how useful and beneficial solar energy can be in their lives. If you’re one of these people, fret not. It’s not too late to educate yourself and dig into an informative blog such as this. We gather some expectations of the people about solar and the realities behind it.
Expectation: Solar PV systems can only save me a little and just a liability
Reality: You can save as much as $25,000 in having a PV system!
People are always overwhelmed by how much they have to spend on the upfront cost of a PV system. Little they know, PV systems are a long-term investment. More than the upfront cost, there are lots of things to take into account. When you realise how much it can save you in the future will change the way you see PV systems.
Ok, let’s do some math to prove a point. The average cost of a PV system is $6,500. This, of course, will vary depending on the location of your household. Let’s say you were able to install a 5kW solar system in your house. This can potentially save you $1,300 a year. Thus, allowing you to have a payback period of 5 years. Many solar panels now have warranty periods of up to 25 years, so you can earn real cash for 20 years!
For a detailed computation of your potential savings, check this out: https://www.solarquotes.com.au/solar-calculator/
Expectation: Solar panels are high-maintenance
Reality: You just need your panels cleaned once to twice a year
Contrary to the popular belief, solar panels are not high-maintenance. Generally speaking, it is self-cleaning. Thanks to the rain. Dirt has very little effect on the performance of a PV system. So cleaning it very often is not a good idea. Aside from the potential injury and the time need to spend cleaning your panels, it might just create a serious problem such as scratched surface of solar cells which can lead to reduced system efficiency.
We advise you to have them professionally cleaned particularly when you can’t clean them from the ground and don’t have enough safety equipment and training.
Expectation: Aside from reducing electricity bill, PV systems don’t do any good.
Reality: Less carbon footprint, increased property value!
Probably you’re not an environmental enthusiast and doesn’t care that much about the carbon footprint. But please trust us when we say that Solar PV systems do more than that. Aside from the potential savings and earnings that we have shown you, installing a PV system in your home will increase your property value.
Recent surveys say that 70 to 85% of Australians think that houses with solar are more valuable than those without. In fact, houses with PV system sell up to 20% faster. This is an added value to your property. So whether you will stay in a property for a long time or planning to sell it soon, you can benefit from it either way.
While Solar PV systems are fairly expensive at first. We can’t deny the fact that it is generally beneficial to us and to the environment. Allocating some budget and planning to have one soon or in the near future is a great goal to have. So get it!
We are happy sharing some of our insights but will love to listen to your experiences too.
If you still have questions about PV systems, don’t hesitate to comment below.