How Long Are Solar Panels Good For

When you re considering investing in a solar installation wondering how long home solar panels last is a question that inevitably pops up.

How long are solar panels good for.

Most panels are covered to produce at least 80 of their rated output over the life of the warranty. They calculate a loss of efficiency of 8 for every year. Solar panels require regular maintenance which is essential to improve their efficiency and extend their lifespan. For the sake of example if you are getting 5 hours of direct sunlight per day in a sunny state like california you can calculate your solar panel output this way.

Here is how the manufacturers come up with this number. During this period manufacturers guarantee that panels will operate at or near peak efficiency. The general answer for monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels is 25 years. Especially because your panels will not stop working after 25 years they just won t work as well.

5 hours x 290 watts an example wattage of a premium solar panel 1 450 watts hours or roughly 1 5 kilowatt hours kwh. Chances are if you installed a roof top solar system today it would last longer than your roof. Crystalline panels are usually guaranteed for 20 25 years while film panels are generally guaranteed for only 2 5 years. The regular warranty for photovoltaic solar panels lasts 25 years.

Thus the output for each solar panel in your array would. However this doesn t mean the panels on your roof will stop producing electricity after a couple of decades. The typical warranty for solar panels is 25 years. Ways to increase the lifespan of solar panels.

Hence failure to clean dust and smudges lowers the efficiency of solar panels. Yes you read that right.