From: Subject: 6 Myths About Solar Energy At Home at greenguysglobal.com Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 08:52:34 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C8631D.7489F9E0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C8631D.7489F9E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://greenguysglobal.com/blog/6-myths-about-solar-energy-at-home =EF=BB=BF 6 Myths About Solar Energy At = Home at greenguysglobal.com

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6 Myths About Solar Energy At Home

January 28th, 2008

Posted by: Joel

Living in Southern California we get plenty of sunshine (though = admittedly it=20 is currently raining). It=E2=80=99s therefore usually an ideal spot for = home solar=20 panels, however speaking with various people about it there are some = common=20 misconceptions, some conflicting, that people have.
3D"Solar

1. It takes 30 years to get your money back. Of = course it=20 depends where you live, what type of system you have and how much energy = you=20 use. Here in California, 6-8 years is more the norm. Plus, don=E2=80=99t = think of it as=20 getting your money back, think of it as an upfront cost that then = provides you=20 something for free.

2. If there=E2=80=99s a main power cut in your street, you = will still have=20 electricity. No, this isn=E2=80=99t normally correct, almost = all systems are=20 =E2=80=9Cgrid-tie=E2=80=9D systems. This means you receive power from = the national grid as=20 normal, and your solar panels send any electricity generated to this = grid,=20 essentially using the grid as a battery. If there=E2=80=99s a power cut = then you will=20 not be able to receive any power from the grid or your solar = installation.

3. The electricity company will pay you for any extra energy = you=20 produce. This isn=E2=80=99t usually true. Your solar = installation will, at=20 times, be generating more electricity than you are using so your = electricity=20 meter will start going backwards. Over a 12 month period, if you have = generated=20 more electricity than you have used, you will NOT get any money for = this,=20 therefore it is very important to size the system you have to the amount = of=20 electricity that you use. Else you will be paying to build a bigger = system than=20 you can benefit from.

4. The government will give you massive rebates. = Once again=20 this depends on where you live and what current rebate program is in = effect.=20 It=E2=80=99s not uncommon to get 50% or more back in rebates and tax = credits, however=20 you should investigate this and apply before you order = anything. It=E2=80=99s=20 usually calculated on a per watt basis.

5. My condo owner or Home Owners Association won=E2=80=99t = allow it.=20 In California it=E2=80=99s against the law to restrict the installation = of solar panels.=20 They can make demands on how it looks, position etc, but nothing that = will add=20 more than 15% to the cost. It=E2=80=99s likely to be similar wherever = you live - the=20 government want you to pay to create your own energy!

6. It=E2=80=99s difficult to install, and looks = ugly. No, it=E2=80=99s=20 actually relatively quick and simple (less than a week depending on the = size),=20 but there are hundreds of companies that are licensed and will do it for = you. As=20 to whether it looks ugly, well, that=E2=80=99s in the eye of the = beholder!

If you liked that post, then try these...

Guest=20 Editor: Matt Feldman - Choosing a Carbon Offset Provider by Guest = Editor on=20 January 11th, 2008
Picking a good carbon offset provider can be very = tricky=20 and usually can take some work.

Consume = Less by=20 Charles on December 13th, 2007
Recently I had been sent a e-mail with = a link=20 to this wonderful video that explained that as consumers most of us = don't see or=20 see too little of what the big picture has to tell us about what the = real cost=20 of what it takes to produce a product in terms of money, content and = pollution=20 to create and make a item we see in a store.

100=20 Ways To Save The Planet Video by Joel on December 6th, = 2007
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Share this=20 post: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where = readers=20 can share and discover new web pages.

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