Routine care and quality maintenance are equally important to extend the lifetime of solar panels. Maintenance checks can alert you to any quality degradation in the panels. Working with a professional solar installer like Tesla Electricals and Solar will provide routine maintenance checks and ensure the panels function at their best.
Should you replace solar panels after 25 years?
The racking system of the solar panels can have a significant impact on their degradation rate. Your installer will make sure that the panels are fixed clear of debris and other damaging materials.
How to extend the lifespan of a solar panel?
Although solar panels are crafted to cope with weather, extreme weather conditions may affect the life span of the panels. Cold temperatures, heavy rain, hail etc. may reduce the efficiency of the solar panels.
Installation and Maintenance
The type and the quality of solar panels you install will determine how long they will last. Cheap panels that are manufactured with low quality materials will not last longer as they inherently cannot handle external factors.
Climate
Quality
According to National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) statistics, modern solar panels have a 0.5% of degradation rate approximately per year. Based on this information, solar panel manufacturers typically offer warranties up to 25 years or more. Therefore these panels will produce energy for many years providing a great return on investment. We can safely assume that the average life of a quality polycrystalline or monocrystalline panel is around 25-30 years before they begin to noticeably degrade.
Technically there is no expiration date on solar panels but they naturally tend to become less efficient at producing energy over time. NREL data reveals that premium modern solar panels offer degradation rates as low as 0.30% per year.
However, this can vary depending on a range of factors that affect the lifespan of solar panels.
Factors that may affect your solar panels
Since 2019, the amount of solar panels being installed in Australia has been growing exponentially. Whilst the current incentives, generous solar rebates, and solar prices in Australia are favourable, having a solar system is a long-term commitment. It is a complete system that you are investing in apart from the panels.
