The biggest myths about solar systems

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With photovoltaic, you produce your own electricity using solar energy. Light hits solar panels and generates electricity. You can use it yourself right away, store it in a battery for later use, or feed it directly to the mains. There are many myths and rumors about solar energy and electricity generation. Time to take a look at these.

This prejudice continues. A solar power system is economical and no longer a luxury. Although prices have increased slightly in recent months, investment costs for solar energy systems have halved in the last ten years. “Of course you have to make some initial investment, but a solar system usually pays for itself after about eight to twelve years,” says Christoph Schaer, Director of the building technology industry association suissetec in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. “A modern kitchen, a luxury bathroom, or an expensive car are equally important expenses. But no one here thinks about the return on investment.» With solar energy systems, money can be made with the electricity supplied to the grid and costs can be saved with your own consumption. This more than paid off with Schaer’s own solar system last year. “After cutting off the electricity I bought from the mains, I received a salary of 3,200 francs.”

Particularly at noon, south-facing panels offer the highest yield per square metre. If you’ve also installed a battery to store electricity, the south direction makes sense. However, other directions are also very suitable, as the sun falls on a house at different angles throughout the day. “The east-west orientation ensures that electricity is more evenly distributed throughout the day,” says Schaer. This makes sense, especially without battery storage, because if electricity generation and electricity consumption are better correlated, it leads to higher self-consumption, thus helping grid stability as well.

Photovoltaic means the direct conversion of light into electricity. So it needs light, not necessarily the sun, to work. “Even in foggy weather, electricity can be produced with the solar energy system. Less so than when the sky is blue,” says Christoph Schaer. What about in winter? “Then the yield is already declining due to the shortening of the days, whatever the weather.” Almost no electricity can be produced when there is heavy snowfall. “But there’s also the reverse, so a good winter day can be much better than a bad summer day.” Anyone who cleverly aligns household consumption with production still gets good performance. “Two to three weeks a year, I draw more electricity from the grid. But I’m 95 percent self-sufficient throughout the year.”

It is well known that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. “When solar systems hit the market 20 years ago, installations weren’t always exactly eye-catching,” says Schaer. But in the meantime a lot has happened. «There are many beautiful and elegant modules on the market today, including colored panels to match the look of the house.»

“I wouldn’t agree with that myth,” says Schaer. Of course, in a smaller system, one-time fixed costs carry more weight than in larger systems. “Smaller solar systems therefore have a slightly longer payback period. However, small systems are still valuable if, for example, you have high power consumption and you drive an electric car.” However, equipping the entire roof – and possibly even parts of the façade – with solar modules makes not only economic sense, but also from a security of supply point of view, then you still have reserves for later applications or you can feed more power to the grid.

The myth that it takes more electricity to produce solar panels than they produce is still prevalent. “The production of solar cells also requires energy, but only recovers some of the energy and pollutants later on,” explains Christoph Schaer from Suissetec. Just a year later, a solar power system produced as much electricity as it needed for its production. “Everything produced in electricity for many years or decades afterwards is a profit.” In addition, each solar system contributes to the protection of the environment and climate. Solar energy reduces oil, gas and coal consumption and thus lowers CO emissions₂. Another positive effect: Dependency on other countries is reduced.

Source : Blick