7 Myths of Solar
Electricity
Myths of
solar
electricity: Today there is much discussion and research on
replacing our traditional power sources. Solar power is at the top of
list as a possible alternative source of energy. With costs of
traditional sources rising, and with the desire to protect our planet
from harmful emissions from traditional fuel sources, many are even
more desperate to find a solution.
As solar electricity gains
in popularity and more people investigate its potential, there have come
misunderstanding and myths. There are seven main myths about solar
electricity that need to be dispelled. So here we go, the 7 myths of solar
electricity:
Myth # 1.
Solar electricity cannot serve any significant fraction of U.S. or world
electricity needs.
PV technology or
photovoltaics can meet demands on any scale.
Solar energy
resources in a one hundred mile area of Nevada could supply the United
States with all its electricity. A more reliable solution is to provide PV
systems throughout the U.S. Current technology dictates that about a
seventeen mile by seventeen mile area per state would be needed.
Myth # 2.
Solar Electricity can do everything---right now!
While solar electricity
will eventually become a major player in the world’s energy needs, the
current capacity is not able to meet all the demands. As long as proper
investments are made and sustained now the supply of solar electricity will
become
Myth # 3.
Photovoltaics cannot significantly offset environmental emissions.
Photovoltaic systems
produce no emissions or green house gases. As the number of kilowatts of PV
electricity increase, the use of traditional fuels is offset, thus
decreasing the emissions generated by traditional fossil fuels. Emission
rate could become negative if the use of photovoltaic electricity increase
sufficiently.
Myth # 4.
Photovoltaics is a polluting industry.
The industry of
photovoltaics is not 100% clean. The emissions of a PV system are clearly
less than with fossil fuels. The only polluting possibility exists because
the semiconductor processing can involve the use of chemicals and toxic
materials.
Myth # 5.
Photovoltaics on merely a cottage industry, appealing only to small niche
markets.
The business of
Photovoltaics has been growing more than thirty five percent per year over
the past two years. Growth of the industry has shifted form remote off-grid
consumer products to nearly sixty percent grid-connected distributed power.
This represents significant growth for PV as a distributed power source.
Myth # 6.
Photovoltaics is too expensive and will never compete with the “big boys” of
power generation. Besides, you can never get the energy out that it takes to
produce the system.
A PV electricity cost of
current 15 to 25 cents per kilowatt hour is competitive in many
applications. The newest generation of modules will have an energy payback
of about two years. This means the modules will produce “free” and clean
energy for the remaining twenty-nine years of their expected life.
Myth # 7.
Nothing remains to be done. Essential R & D is complete, the product works –
just close the laboratory and let industry fight it out.
Current photovoltaic
technologies have substantial potential for improvement. Reach and
development in processing and manufacturing is still in its infancy. Many
new and next-generation devices and physics are only concepts. It is up us
to make and manage the investments to own these developments. Investing in
research and development for our future is good, sound business.
