Sos Roofline Systems

By Jason Livingston-the operator of www.GreenLivingRocks.com where you can learn how to make a solar panel, build homemade windmills, and begin living green

There is a lot of talk about solar energy being a solution for the world’s energy problems. But wouldn’t it be sensible to know if there are any dangers or hidden negative issues ahead of starting a large project? Here are 3 things to think about before you spend your money:

1) Toxic materials. Some of the materials used in the newer thin film solar panels are toxic to the environment. Even though this only becomes a problem when you dispose of the solar panels (which probably won’t be for another 20 years or more), it’s imperative to know that the panels will need safe disposal when that time arrives. But new disposal and recycling methods are being researched and developed. Hopefully, they will be in place by the time you need to use them.

2) Innovative Technology. If you read the news about solar energy research, you will be astounded at the number of companies that are developing new systems and products. Solar energy research is a worldwide growth business, with new discoveries being made every month. There is a real temptation to hold off on your solar energy project so you can use the latest technology. But not every experimental product with market potential actually makes it to the consumer. Solar panels are no different than any other new product in the process of research and development. Sometimes the best ideas just don’t work out as expected, or are just too costly to produce. So it’s always a bit of a gamble to wait too long for breakthroughs in new technology. You could be unnecessarily wasting several months or years of using your solar energy system.

3) Old Technology. Are you afraid of buying your solar energy system right before the next new product breakthrough? This dilemma is the other side of the coin from waiting too long for a breakthrough. The fear is that a less expensive and better technology is right around the corner, but you just spent thousands on “old” technology.

You can do a lot to avoid this scenario by doing a little research on the internet or the library. There are professional business journals that have the latest news on industrial R and D (research and development), and forecast when new products will reach the consumer market. But many of these journals cost several hundreds or thousands of dollars for a yearly subscription, so only libraries can afford them. If your library doesn’t subscribe, ask your librarian to get it for you. Then you’ll need to determine whether you want to wait for the newest product, or go with a traditional system that might be more reliable and predictable because it has withstood the test of time.