How Many Years Will A Solar Panel Last

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

How many years will a solar panel last. Properly maintaining your solar panels will help ensure they last longer. The batteries in solar lights typically last for 2 years before they have to be replaced as they are no longer able to hold enough energy to provide lighting. Of course that number is just an estimate. The only way we will know the actual performance of a solar panel over 25 years is by monitoring it for 25 years.

To put your mind at ease studies have proven solar panels can last anywhere between 25 to 30 years or sometimes more. Most solar panels last 25 years with an average annual degradation rate of 50. Given that many solar panels and inverters come with 25 year product warranties you can expect more than two decades of trouble free operation from your solar array. You will know that it is time to change parts when the lights are unable to maintain charge to illuminate the area during the night.

Generally speaking the batteries in outdoor solar lights can be expected to last about 3 4 years before they will need to be replaced. At vivint solar however we work with the best manufacturers and they re so confident in their panels that they offer 25 year warranties. That being said the federal trade commission estimates that many solar panels last for about 20 years. Solar panel degradation rates are constantly improving as solar panel technology gets better over the years and degradation rates below 1 are common throughout the industry.

Solar inverters and solar batteries will need replacing within the 25 year solar panel lifespan. In the years since this 2012 study was conducted more efficient technologies have been developed and many newer panels have just a 0 5 percent yearly decline in energy. If you install a solar battery today you will likely need to replace it at least once to match the 25 to 30 year lifespan of your pv system. Of course that number is just an estimate.

A solar panel sold today will last for 25 years. Solar panels do not go bad and very rarely are they faulty or break. Sunlight that reaches the solar panels generates electricity that is stored into the solar light batteries and is used once it is dark outside. A study by nrel shows that the majority of panels still produce energy after 25 years albeit at slightly reduced output.

After your investment is paid off your solar panels will continue to generate clean electricity for free and will continue to do so for as long as your equipment lasts. The leds themselves can last ten years or more. In reality solar panels can last quite a bit longer than that. But by that.