Almost 75% of Americans agree that they want to live greener.
Despite three-quarters of our country wanting to take environmental action, many remain skeptical about solar energy. We all know that it’s a growing trend with lots of benefits, but is it really a sustainable solution? Do the pros outweigh the cons?
If that sounds like you, it’s time to take a hard look at the disadvantages of solar energy. Today, we’ll break down the disadvantages of solar power so that you can feel confident that you know what you’re getting into.
Plus, you just might be surprised that the cons aren’t as bad as you thought.
1. High Up-Front Cost
There’s no getting around it: Solar panels are a big financial investment. While they cut down on your energy bill and pay for themselves over time, the initial cost of around $20,000 causes many people to balk.
Fortunately, you could be eligible for federal and state subsidies to help you defray the cost. Check out the federal homeowner’s tax credit for solar energy to get started on whittling down the price tag.
2. The Investment Stays With Your Home
One of the disadvantages of solar panels is that they’re not portable. If you’re expecting to move to a new house in the next few years, you won’t be able to take your solar energy with you.
However, this doesn’t mean you’ll lose your investment entirely. Solar energy increases the value of your home so you can recoup solar costs when you sell the house.
3. Solar Energy Depends on the Sun
Your solar panels will still generate electricity on a cloudy day, but it might not be as much as you’re used to. Plus, if you live in a northern location where the sun sets early in the day, you won’t get as much sun to power your home.
When the sun isn’t shining, you can either fall back on conventional energy or invest in a battery to store your solar energy. These options make solar energy viable for most people, but they both involve an additional investment.
4. Finding a Credible Solar Company is Difficult
Not every solar company wants to be transparent about the disadvantages of solar power. When you’re looking into solar, you may have to wade through sales pitches from company reps that downplay the downsides and push you to sign a contract quickly.
A credible solar company will help you understand the pros and cons of solar energy, as with this example: blueravensolar.com/blog/why-go-solar-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-solar/.
Do the Disadvantages of Solar Energy Outweigh the Benefits?
As with every big change, there are many advantages and disadvantages of solar energy.
Only you can decide which pros and cons are most important to you. As far as we’re concerned, we love the benefits of solar panels enough to make the drawbacks worth it. As solar energy becomes more mainstream, there will only be more solar advantages and fewer drawbacks.
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