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Pros and Cons of Solar Panels |
Article Submitted by: Cristian Stan
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
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Even though solar panels are quite simple, they can still have problems from time to time. Here are some of the areas where they can have problems.
Out of all the ways that we can obtain renewable energy, a solar panel is our best bet for the future. It's easy and it's clean at the same time, even though it's not the perfect method. Solar panels come with their own set of issues, both in the space/efficiency department and in the materials/cost area. It costs quite a bit to install a solar panel, usually around $7 for each watt that your solar panel will provide. So, if you need 100 watts, it will cost you around $700 to install it. For a regular family, this cost will probably be too high. If you install them in a condo or an apartment complex, the cost increases, so solar panels are not enough. You should also take into consideration the costs of the maintenance. The way to offset the installation costs is by using government incentives, like tax credits or rebates. Glass and semiconductors are the main materials used for solar panels, and they are usually considered fragile. You need to maintain them and sometimes you also need to replace them. This happens even if you use Plexiglas shields for your solar panels, since they can still get deteriorated by hail, wind or lighting. When an area is prone to hurricanes, chances are that it's not very practical to use solar panels, as they get damaged if you leave them up during bad weather. One other problem you might have with panels is how efficient they are. Their efficiency ranges from 8 to just 15 percent, so you need more of them to produce all the energy you need. They also have problems if they don't get direct sunlight, as it reduces their power output. Another factor that can cut down on the efficiency is if the house is at a good angle for the best amount of exposure, and they're usually not. If you get long periods with bad weather, the solar panels become useless. You can compensate for the efficiency problems by using solar arrays, but they tend to take a lot of space to set up. The latest prototypes of solar panels have efficiency of up to 40%, which should prove revolutionary once they get to the average consumer. You get a solar array by combining a number of different solar panels together, and creating a single big unit. Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com |
About The Author:
Visit HomemadeSolarEnergyPanels.Com to learn more about how to make solar panels, the advantages and disadvantages of building solar panels and homemade power energy!
Visit HomemadeSolarEnergyPanels.Com to learn more about how to make solar panels, the advantages and disadvantages of building solar panels and homemade power energy!
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