In Western New York and across the entire 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.

Here are the realities behind five common solar myths, courtesy of Buffalo Solar Solutions Inc. and SolarWorld Americas:

Sally Ball Conover, SRES, has joined the Olear Team at MJ Peterson Real Estate as a licensed associate real estate broker. In this role, she will provide expert guidance and service to clients who are buying and selling homes throughout Western New York. 

A resident of Irving, Sally began her real estate career in 1977. She has certifications as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist, Certified Buyer Representative and Relocation Specialist. She has a thorough knowledge of Western New York real estate and extensive experience in assisting clients in finding all types of residences, including single family homes, multi-family homes, condos and patio homes. 

The Olear Team, led by Michael Olear, was recently named MJ Peterson’s top real estate team for 2016 at the company’s 33rd annual awards ceremony. The Olear Team produced more than $18 million is sales in 2016 to win the award for a second consecutive year.

“I am extremely proud of my talented team and to be part of a company that has been serving the people of Western New York since 1930,” said Olear. “Our team employs a transaction coordinator, a marketing coordinator and other administrative staff so that we can provide a well organized and comprehensive plan of action specifically tailored to our clients’ needs. We will do everything in our power to three-peat in 2017 by offering the quality service that our customers have come to expect!”