To view Part 1 of this segment, click here.

Myth #4: Solar Panels Are not Competitive without Public Financing

Although solar is not really a new technology, its commercial viability is quite recent – only in the last decade or so has PV installer training become mainstream.  And like iPods and DVD players, solar energy started out prohibitively expensive at first, but it continues to become cheaper every day.  In fact, in just the past three years the price of solar panels has dropped 50% thanks to economies of scale.

True, government subsidies have played an important role in making the technology cheaper, but the same can be said of many of the foods, health services, and advanced technologies we currently enjoy.  Just think about the public funds that go into protecting our oil interests around the world – remove that protection and gasoline is bound to become more expensive.

Myth #5: Solar Panels Are not Efficient

Because solar panels are becoming cheaper every day and because the technology is infinitely scalable (you can add as many panels as you want to increase energy output), the term “efficiency” is actually quite misleading.  But in fact, solar panels are actually quite efficient – many remote facilities and home rely entirely on solar energy all year-round.  And the technology is only getting better, with new breakthroughs emerging every day.

When you complete your PV installer training, you’ll learn that the majority of homes and businesses don’t use solar energy as a complete replacement for other forms of power.  Rather, they use the technology to offset their electricity bills and reduce their reliance on the grid.  In this way, they make their use of coal, petroleum, and nuclear power more efficient over the long run.

Myth #6: Solar Energy Is Unreliable on Cloudy Days and at Night

If you’ve ever gotten sunburned on an overcast day, you already realize that clouds do not block out the sun’s rays.  Although the energy output under gray skies is not as strong as on sunny days, your solar panels will continue to generate electricity.

Night is a bit trickier since the sun indeed is not shining.  However, nighttime is when we use the least amount of energy, and with proper battery storage or grid connections, you can enjoy continuous power even when the sun is set.  PV installer training can help guide you through the mechanics of connecting solar panels to storage technology or the utility grid.

Myth #7:  Major Energy Companies Don’t Believe in Solar’s Potential

This myth is one of the easiest to dispel.  Many of the largest oil and gas companies are involved in solar energy in one way or another.  France’s Total owns a controlling share in SunPower Corp., British Petroleum has a solar division, and even ExxonMobil, which resisted the technology for a long time, has begun to explore solar as a viable option. 

As oil reserves continue to dwindle and environmental concerns become more pronounced, you can expect solar to play a more prominent role in many energy companies’ portfolios.  This is why completing solar PV installer training today is a great way to secure a high-demand career for tomorrow.  Solar will only become more widespread in the years to come.

Stay tuned for the next installment of solar myth-busting.

To read part 1, click here.