The most important thing to keep in mind when talking about the lifespan of solar panels is that they are not going to stop working after that period.
The most common figure handed out for the lifespan of solar PV panels is 25 – 30 years, and most warranties will reflect that. However, it is easily possible to keep your solar PV system working long after that if they are well maintained.
What will happen is that they will degrade and become less efficient at producing electricity. Your panels after two decades will not be pumping out the same level of juice as they did when you first got them.
Typically, people who have solar panels installed will break even on the investment cost within 6 – 10 years, potentially leaving another two decades of near peak performance at no cost.
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What Happens to Solar Panels as They Get Older
Efficiency is the term used to describe how much solar energy is converted into electricity by your solar panels. As your solar panels age, they will lose some of their efficiency at a steady rate.
In broad terms, solar panels degrade by about 0.5% of their efficiency each year. That means that after 20 years, they will be producing 10% less electricity than they did when you first bought them. But that still leaves you with a long time afterwards where they can be producing a lot of electricity.
It’s worth noting that there are currently around 50,000 homes in Ireland which have solar panels installed, and most of those have been in the past decade. So there’s not a lot of data available on their performance towards the end of their anticipated lifespan.
How to Maximise the Lifespan of Your Solar Panels
Solar Panels require very little care overall, seeing as they have no moving parts that are susceptible to wear and tear. But there are some easy steps that you can take to ensure that you get the longest use out of your solar PV array.
Buy High Quality Equipment
This should go without saying, but having the highest quality equipment for your solar PV array, the panels, inverter, and more, will end up with it lasting longer than if you go for cheaper products. This is an extremely long-term investment in your property, it’s worth splashing out.
Choose a Reputable Installer
Right off the bat, this is the most important factor to keep in mind. It is essential to have an installer you trust, not only for the work itself, but also to advise you on what products best suit your needs. Badly installed and wired solar panels may degrade quicker than if they were put in properly.
Keep Your Solar Panels Clean
When your solar panels get covered in dirt and grit it not only reduces their efficiency, it can also result in them getting chipped. Too much of this can see them damaged or broken. Regular cleaning of solar panels is valuable for their performance and health.
Solar Panel Monitoring
If something does go wrong with one or more panels in a solar PV array, it is better to know sooner rather than later to address the problem before it gets worse.
Solar monitoring systems can give an indication if something is wrong by monitoring the output of your solar panels. Systems with microinverters fitted to each panel can tell you the health of each individual panel.
Maintenance
Solar panels don’t require much maintenance to keep running but it worth having them inspected by a reputable installer on occasion can catch problems like damage to the mounting racks, exposed or damaged wiring, or other problems with the solar PV array. Having this done by a professional rather than yourself can also avoid potentially voiding the warranty if you were to damage something.
Protection from the Elements
As solar panels are designed by nature to be exposed to the air, they are at the mercy of the elements, which can potentially result in damage. With this in mind, solar panels are generally tested against a wide range of environmental effects such as high temperatures, hailstones, corrosion from salt mist or ammonia, and more.
When choosing solar panels, keep your own local environment in mind and think about what sort of conditions they will be exposed to. There are different weather effects by the seaside compared with living in an area known for extreme heat.
Check the product specifications when picking out solar panels. These will tell you how they have been tested and certified against weather that could damage them over time.
Solar Panels Warranties
The standard warranty period for solar panels offered by most manufacturers is 25 years, which typically states that they will be free of defects after this period. Check the Product Warranty carefully as in some cases there may be conditions on just who is allowed to carry out maintenance and repairs on your solar panels without voiding it.
On top of the basic Product Warranty solar panels often come with an additional Power Output Warranty. This guarantees that the solar panels will still be performing at a specified level of efficiency at the end of a 25 year period.
8 Years
A typical solar installation is fully paid back within 8 years. All our panels are under warranty for 25 years, so you will enjoy 17 years of free energy generation.
0% VAT
As of May 10th 2023, the government has removed all VAT on Solar installation and solar panel supply. Solar has never been more affordable.
Government Grants
There is are a number of government grants available for all new solar installations. Our team will guide you through the application process.
Other Solar PV System Equipment
Your solar panels are not the only elements of the full photovoltaic system. To complete the system you also require a solar power inverter, or multiple microinverters, and many people are now also getting a solar battery installed as part of their array. This allows them to store power when output is at its peak.
These are likely to have shorter lifespans than the solar panels themselves, and may have to be replaced at some point while your panels are still operational.
FAQs
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