Colorado Solar Home Association

[CSHA]

Some common Solar Energy myths, feel free to add others.

Taken from Astralux Environmental Solutions - http://aessolarenergy.com

Fallacy: Solar electricity is not as good or reliable as the electricity from the utility company
Fact: Our solar energy systems produce the EXACT same electricity that you receive from the utility company, and the system itself is built for durability - always producing the electricity the you and your family needs.

Fallacy: Solar energy systems are bulky and ugly
Fact: New advances in solar technology and roof mounting systems enables our designers to design a highly aesthetic looking system, with low visibility.

Fallacy: Solar energy is too technical to bother with
Fact: Solar technology has become incredibly user-friendly, and besides, at AES we take care of the whole process - and explain every aspect of this wonderful technology.

Fallacy: Solar is just too expensive
Fact: Every component of a solar system has decreased greatly in price over the past 15 years, and with generous state rebates and federal tax write offs - the price of a solar energy system is only about 40-50% of the retail price.

Fallacy: Solar energy a futuristic technology, it's too new age for me
Fact: Solar energy and solar electricity have been around for over 30 years, and is no longer an experimental or futuristic technology - it is functional and it is available right now!

Fallacy: A solar energy system won't work where I'm located
Fact: Living in Colorado, there are not many "bad" locations for solar energy. One of our Solar Experts can help you determine if your home or business is a good place for solar energy.

Fallacy: My roof won't hold a solar energy system
Fact: Our solar modules are very light and designed to go on virtually any roof, we haven't met a roof we could mount a solar system to

Fallacy: Solar systems are too complex
Fact: Our plug-and-play systems take all of the complexity out of installing a solar energy system, it will be like nothing changed - you will receive the same electricity as you did before, except cleaner and cheaper

Fallacy: I'll have to be up on the roof all the time cleaning and maintaining my solar energy system
Fact: Solar modules require very little maintenance, and due to their slick surface and slope on your roof, require virtually no cleans (save the occasional hosing off with water). We also provide periodic maintenance with all of our systems

Fallacy: Solar energy systems are vulnerable to weather extremes
Fact: This is a huge myth, as solar modules are well suited to even the most extreme elements. They are wind rated to hurricane-type speeds, and can take even the largest hailstorms the Rockies can dish out. We have stories of roofs being badly damaged due to storms, with the solar system undamaged - and the roofing below the solar modules also completely undamaged.

Fallacy: My local neighborhood covenant / codes won't allow a solar system on my home
Fact: City and state laws prohibit covenants from preventing you from having a solar energy system, plus several Colorado counties have specific "solar-friendly" laws that make it so you can put as much solar as you want where ever you want.

Fallacy: A solar energy system will become outdated technologically over it's life span
Fact: The solar panels (which convert the sunlight into electricity) suffer very little degradation over it's life span, so your solar energy system will have nearly the same output on year 25 as on day 1.

Fallacy: I may be moving in the next few years, so a solar energy system doesn't make sense for me
Fact: A solar energy system immediately increases the value of your home, so if you don't want the hassle of removing and reinstalling your system on your next home - simply sell your current home with the solar system attached.
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"Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"