Disadvantages Of Using Solar Power At Home: Limits And Points To Note Before Making The Right Choice For Power Solutions 2022

There are many benefits to using solar power at home. Among them are the long term financial benefits in terms of energy savings and home valuation (houses with solar power installations are increasing in market value), low maintenance required, long operational life of most solar power systems, partial or complete independence from power grids, efficient energy conservation, and preservation of the environment.

However, like in the case of other alternative energy sources, harnessing solar energy for home use has a number of disadvantages that should be considered.

Methods To Harness Solar Energy

There are three approaches by which solar energy may be harnessed for home use: passive solar power (does not require any power-generating installations but uses architectural creativity to maximize the benefits of sunlight); thermal solar power (maximizes the sun’s heat energy through the installation of practical, affordable, and eco-friendly solar-powered water heating systems); and solar power panels (requires the installation of photovoltaic cells, batteries, and other components in order to convert light energy to DC energy).

While providing strong benefits, the first two approaches generally have negligible or no disadvantages at all. The third, however, has a number of disadvantages worth studying before fully committing to a solar-powered lifestyle.

Disadvantage Of Solar Panel

The primary disadvantage of solar power panels is the relatively high installation cost. Some contractors and resource providers offer specific solutions to reduce costs, but even then the current prices of key installation components are still prohibitive.

However, this issue is being addressed industry-wide, given the promise of, as well as the pressing need for, this particular alternative energy source. There are already reported advances towards increasing the energy generating efficiency of systems, as well as significant drops in the price of some raw materials.

In addition, initiatives by many governments around the world provide subsidy programs and tax incentives for people and businesses that are strongly adopting solar power. These developments are expected to continue driving the cost of solar power systems downward.

The limited number of feasible locations for an efficient solar power system is also a disadvantage. While most places on the planet are reached by sunlight, there are places where harnessing sunlight may be too costly or inefficient to completely provide the energy requirements of the location.

Places that are cloudy and rainy most of the year will significantly limit the energy-generating capacity of solar power panels. Tree-lined or highly urbanized locations with high structures may also affect the sunlight gathering capacity of solar cells.

Meanwhile, solar panels also require a large area to be properly installed and efficiently operated. Roof structure and direction also affect the efficiency of a solar panel installation. Any attempt at installation should also take into consideration the possibility of roof repairs and that solar panels should easily be removed and reinstalled at need.

Because solar panels are big and unwieldy, they can sometimes be aesthetically offensive. This is especially true of older installations that may be considered eyesores in the surrounding landscape. Some roofs also have more adaptable material and design for solar panel installation than others.

When much investment has already been put into a beautiful roof by homeowners, installing a solar panel array usually creates a dilemma. Many green designers and architects have been addressing this issue and there are now a growing number of aesthetically pleasing homes that are powered by the sun.

While the primary appeal of solar panels is its strong benefits to the environment, solar power systems also pose environmental risks of their own. Solar power systems generally use lead, sulphuric acid and cadmium in their components.

These substances may seriously harm the environment if not disposed of properly. Cadmium, in particular, poses serious health risks, including cancer.

All these disadvantages are closely monitored by the solar energy sector, and new solutions—such as the use of alternative raw materials—are being proposed to make solar energy a viable and comprehensive source of power for everyone on the planet.

_Related

• Solar Heating For Swimming Pools (DIY 2022)
• The Ultimate Off-Grid Solar Energy Guide Book For DIY Beginners – Go Green With Solar Power For Homes
• Is The Theory Of Global Warming Actually True? Whatever Climate Change Deniers Say, The Data Shows, It Is Real
• What Is LEED Certification? Regulating Green Design And Construction From The Top Down 2022
• Renewable Power And Alternative Energy Advantages And Disadvantages: The All-In-One Comparison Guide 2022
• Resource Conservation 2022: Why Bother? Do It For The Next Generation, For Others, And For A Better Environment
• The Best Home Solar Panel For Beginners 2022: Solar Energy Basics 101 Easy To Install And Operate
• Examples Of DIY Solar Panels For Heating Up Pools: Set Up, Benefits, Power Calculations And Points To Note When Installing 2022