However, solar energy is not only electricity – already in 2014, approximately 1.7 million m2 of solar collectors (these are so-called solar panels) were installed in Polish houses and yards, and their total power was the second largest renewable energy source, right after biomass-powered heating plants. thermal energy.
The constantly growing interest in renewable energy sources, and in particular photovoltaics, unfortunately contributes to the spread of opinions of self-proclaimed experts and skeptics of the use of solar energy in our country. In our opinion, however, photovoltaics has no disadvantages, because we can easily refute any argument against its implementation. Among the negative opinions repeated on the Internet, the following three are the most common:
“Too little sunlight”
We cannot argue with the facts – Poland is located in the temperate climate zone, although this is a generalization on a global scale, because due to individual geographical features, we also distinguish other “sub-climates” – including continental or maritime. Undeniably, however, it is easy to distinguish clearly recognizable four seasons, characterized by seasonal precipitation, as well as variable day length and sunlight levels throughout the year, and it is this variability that becomes the main argument against installing panels. But does this really affect the efficiency of the installation? We boldly answer – NO.
Contrary to the harmful myth circulating among photovoltaics, its operation is not dependent on air temperature. The panels only absorb light, so they also produce energy on cloudy days. Interestingly, what seems to be the most desirable conditions for installing a PV installation, i.e. hot, sunny summer, may be harmful to it. Excessive sunlight and high temperatures may even lead to overheating of the entire installation, which in turn shortens its service life. Therefore, our Polish climate is considered optimal for this method of obtaining electricity.
“Too high price of installation”
In the era of digitalization, it is easy to see the upward trend in the price of installing a PV installation, but for those who are really interested in ecology and saving on electricity at home or in their company, there will always be a way to reduce slightly (or even significantly) the own costs of this installation. ventures.
At the moment, companies can benefit from funding for the construction or expansion of photovoltaic installations from the Energia Plus program – this is up to 85% of support in the case of a loan and up to 50% of the costs in the case of a subsidy. Entrepreneurs consuming a high amount of energy, i.e. the so-called high energy intensity index, they can also benefit from the funds of the Infrastructure and Environment Operational Program 2014-2020, from which the amounts that can be obtained are up to EUR 15 million.
Additionally, in July, another, third, edition of the Moje Prąd program is launched, in which we can benefit from co-financing for the construction of a photovoltaic installation in our home. Moreover, when looking for funding for the installation, expansion or modernization of a PV installation, it is also worth remembering about seasonal local programs implemented, for example, by voivodeships.
“Panels need to be cleaned regularly to maintain efficiency.”
This is of course true, to illustrate the problem we will compare a solar panel to a car headlight, although the light, of course, penetrates in different directions in these two cases. If you want the lights in your car to work well and properly illuminate the road at night, you unfortunately have to wash the car from time to time and even polish the lamps. It is the same with a PV installation – in order for sunlight to reach the panels that will convert it into electricity, you must from time to time remove impurities that block the flow of light. However, we can reassure you – due to weather conditions (mainly frequent rainfall in Poland), most manufacturers recommend cleaning the panels only once a year to maintain their effective operation.
Photovoltaics is clean energy, free from harmful emissions, and a real method of reducing electricity costs. Moreover, as we have already proven – it is a year-round solution, because during the period of higher energy production, its surplus can be transferred to the general grid, from where it is collected in periods when the efficiency of the panels decreases due to less sunlight. They are not afraid of hail, because the top layer is covered with high-strength tempered glass, and the overall durability of such panels is 25 years guaranteed by the manufacturers, but investing in better quality panels allows you to enjoy their failure-free operation for up to 40 years!
In addition, PV panels are maintenance-free – their installation takes up to 3 days, and then they do not require your attention, apart from a quick cleaning once a year. First of all, from a practical point of view, installing a PV installation gives you independence – it guarantees almost complete lack of power supply interruptions.
We understand that the cost of installing a PV installation may be discouraging, hence the growing concerns about its efficiency, durability and cost-recovery guarantee, but if you approach the topic seriously – there is nothing to think about any longer. PV panels are an extremely advanced technology used in space, which, due to its extremely high durability, unfortunately generates relatively high prices, but also guarantees the highest quality of workmanship and satisfaction with use.
However, there are many opportunities to obtain funding and, fortunately, they are constantly multiplying because global ecological awareness is growing every year. Meanwhile, the advantages of using your own energy source certainly compensate for the initial expense, which we guarantee you will forget about sooner than you think.
So, are you still wondering?
