Debunked: 5 Solar Myths

There’s a lot of information that is surrounding the solar power industry and it is hard to sift through and decipher what is true and what isn’t. Because the solar power industry has grown so fast, there’s information regarding solar panels that has spread like wildfire and just simply isn’t true. Today we are going to be debunking some of those myths.

Myth #1: Solar Panels Are For the Rich

A lot of people have heard that solar panels are out of budget for most people, and they are geared towards the more affluent people. A lot of people don’t even consider getting a solar panel installation because they don’t think that they can afford one. The initial cost of solar panel installations might be high and the cost of solar panels will depend on a few factors. The size of the home and the solar power system are going to be what determines the initial cost of solar panel installations.

But you can reduce the cost of solar power systems if you do your research ahead of time, you should figure out what solar energy tax credits and solar incentives are available in your area, how much solar power you will need your solar power system to produce, and take care of any permits or pre-installation requirements. You can also ask your solar installer about the different solar incentives and solar energy tax credits in the area, they will know more about it.

Myth #2: Not All States Offer Solar Incentives

Speaking of solar incentives, there’s another rumor that is floating around the solar energy rumor mill and it’s that that solar incentives aren’t available in all states. The rumor stems from the fact that certain states will offer more solar incentives and solar energy tax credits. But the reality is, most states will offer some form of solar incentives, regardless if it is a personal solar energy tax credit or property tax solar incentives. The reality is, there are hundreds of available solar incentives and solar power rebates for solar panel installation.

All residential solar panel installations are available for the 26% federal investment tax credit.

Myth #3: If You Don’t Own Your House You Can’t Use Solar Power

While it is true that if you don’t own your own home you probably can’t get a solar panel installation, but you can still use solar power. If you rent a house, or you live in a condo, there is a way where you can use solar power without getting a solar panel installation. The solution? Community solar programs, there allow multiple people to benefit from a shared solar panel installation. These solar panel installations can be installed on your building or offsite in a different location. The purchasing costs and the solar panel installation of the solar power system are going to be divided among all of the participants. All will be able to buy into the shared solar power system at the level that will best fit their budget. You can even negotiate the portion of your share into the sale of your home if you own the condo/house when you move.

Myth #4: Solar Panels Require Too Much Maintenance

A lot of people are hesitant to buy solar panels because they think that they are going to need a lot of maintenance. But when it comes to getting a solar panel installation, they don’t have any moving parts and aren’t going to require a lot of maintenance. It is recommended that you hose off your solar panels every year or so, but most solar panel owners are never going to clean the solar panels and will rely on the rain to clean off the dust for them. Normally the dust and debris on the solar panel installation are only going to cause a slight loss in the efficiency of the solar panels. But, if there is large debris that falls on the solar panels, it is recommended that you remove it. Solar panel installations come with monitoring software that allows you to discover any dips in solar power generation instantly. Most of the time your solar installer that is linked to your monitoring system as well, they’ll even be aware of drops in your solar panel installation’s power output before you are!

Myth #5: Solar Panels Will Raise Your Property Taxes

One of the top solar power myths is that solar panels are going to raise your property taxes because it increases the value of your property. Getting a residential solar panel installation will raise the property’s value in most cases. But most states are going to have some form of protection in place that exempts solar power from being included in the home’s appraisal to calculate property taxes.

In California, the California State Board of Equalization offers a property tax solar incentive program for homes with solar panels. The program is going to provide 100% property tax exclusion on certain kinds of solar power systems that are installed until the end of 2024.

Also, most other states are going to offer property tax credits for solar panel installations, if their home’s value increases and causes your property taxes to rise.