(NewsUSA) - Across the U.S., home solar installations are on the rise. In 2012, homeowners installed enough residential solar panels to power the equivalent of almost 24,000 homes.
Despite its growing popularity, solar technology remains unfamiliar to many Americans. As renewable energy becomes a mainstay topic for the nation's partisan political debates, consumers may struggle to separate the facts about solar energy from common misconceptions.
kAmw6C6 2C6 E96 C62=:E:6D 369:?5 7:G6 4@>>@? D@=2C >JE9Dik^Am
kAm|JE9 `i $@=2C :D 2 ?6H[ F?AC@G6? E649?@=@8J] $@=2C E649?@=@8J C@@ED C6249 2D 72C 324< 2D `ggd[ H96? r92C=6D uC:EED 3F:=E E96 7:CDE D@=2C 46== FD:?8 D6=6?:F>] x? `hdc[ C6D62C496CD 2E q6== {23D 92C?6DD65 E96 A9@E@6=64EC:4 67764E @? D:=:4@?[ D6EE:?8 E96 4@FCD6 7@C >@56C? D@=2C E649?@=@8J] $:?46 E96?[ D@=2C 92D A@H6C65 DA246 6IA=@C2E:@?[ @:= 56CC:4<D[ 46==F=2C ?6EH@C<D 2?5 8C:5\E:65 3FD:?6DD6D 2?5 9@>6D]k^Am
kAmx? A2CE:4F=2C[ $@=2C(@C=5[ E96 =@?86DE\DE2?5:?8 &]$] D@=2C AC@5F46C[ 92D 366? >2?F724EFC:?8 D@=2C A2?6=D D:?46 `hfd] Q(6VG6 366? :? 3FD:?6DD 7@C >@C6 E92? bd J62CD[ 2?5 H6VG6 ?6G6C 925 2 AC@5F4E C642==[Q D2:5 z6G:? z:=<6==J[ AC6D:56?E @7 $@=2C(@C=5 p>6C:42D]k^Am
kAm|JE9 ai $@=2C @?=J H@C<D :? H2C> 4=:>2E6D] (9:=6 DF??J DE2E6D =:<6 r2=:7@C?:2 =625 E96 &]$] :? D@=2C 56A=@J>6?E[ ?@CE96C? C6D:56?ED DE:== 92G6 >F49 E@ 82:? 7C@> :?DE2==:?8 C6D:56?E:2= D@=2C A2?6=D] yFDE 2D A6@A=6 5@?VE C6BF:C6 7F== DF?D9:?6 E@ D66[ D@=2C A2?6=D 5@?VE C6BF:C6 7F== DF?D9:?6 E@ AC@5F46 6=64EC:4:EJ] v6C>2?J[ E96 4@F?ECJ H:E9 E96 >@DE :?DE2==65 D@=2C 42A24:EJ H@C=5H:56[ 4@F?ED @? D@=2C :CC25:2E:@? 4@>A2C23=6 E@ $62EE=6VD]k^Am
kAm|JE9 bi p== D@=2C A2?6=D 2C6 4C62E65 6BF2=] r@?DF>6CD D9@F=5 36 2H2C6 E92E 5:776C6?46D :? BF2=:EJ 2?5 H@C<>2?D9:A 42? 4FC3 E96 2>@F?E @7 6?6C8J AC@5F465] q6 H2CJ @7 D@=2C A2?6=D >2?F724EFC65 :? A@@C=J C68F=2E65 724E@C:6D H:E9 BF6DE:@?23=6 BF2=:EJ\4@?EC@=[ =23@C 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= AC24E:46D] x?DE625[ =@@< 7@C 9@>6 D@=2C A2?6=D 7C@> 2 C6AFE23=6 >2?F724EFC6C[ H9:49 42? 8F2C2?E66 E96 9:896DE A@H6C AC@5F4E:@? 2?5 DE2?5 369:?5 2 ad\J62C H2CC2?EJ]k^Am
kAm|JE9 ci $@=2C A2?6=D 2C6 F?2EEC24E:G6] %@ >66E 4FDE@>6C 56>2?5 7@C 2EEC24E:G6 :?DE2==2E:@?D[ 2 76H 4@>A2?:6D ?@H @776C ECF6\3=24< D@=2C A2?6=D[ 56D:8?65 E@ 3=6?5 H6== H:E9 C6D:56?E:2= C@@7E@AD] %96 A2?6=D 2C6 >256 7C@> E96 >@DE A@H6C7F= D@=2C 46==D 2G2:=23=6[ >62?:?8 2 9@>6@H?6C 42? AC@5F46 >@C6 6=64EC:4:EJ H:E9 76H6C A2?6=D]k^Am
kAm|JE9 di $@=2C :D E@@ 6IA6?D:G6] %92?<D E@ E649?@=@8:42= 25G2?46D 2?5 2EEC24E:G6 C632E6D[ C6D:56?E:2= D@=2C DJDE6>D 2C6 >@C6 277@C523=6 E92? 6G6C] x? >2?J A2CED @7 E96 &]$][ 9@>6@H?6CD 42? FD6 7:?2?4:?8 AC@8C2>D E@ C65F46 FA7C@?E 4@DED 2?5 DAC625 A2J>6?E @G6C a_ @C >@C6 J62CD] u@C 56E2:=D @? D@=2C :?DE2==2E:@? 2?5 7:?2?4:?8[ G:D:Ei k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]D@=2CH@C=5]4@>^D@=2C>JE9DQmHHH]D@=2CH@C=5]4@>^D@=2C>JE9Dk^2m]k^Am