How Long Do Solar Panels

Key takeaways about the lifetime of solar panels solar panels usually last for 25 to 30 years over their lifetime panels very slowly degrade meaning they may produce less and less electricity high quality equipment makes a difference visit the energysage buyer s guide to compare panels.

How long do solar panels.

However this doesn t mean the panels on your roof will stop producing electricity after a couple of decades. How much energy does a solar panel produce. Yes you read that right. The official word from seia solar energy industries association is that the average lifespan of a solar panel is between 20 and 30 years.

Thus the output for each solar panel in your array would. 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. Solar panels last about 20 years according to the federal trade commission. Polycrystalline silicon panels on the other hand are blue in color.

The great news is that with proper maintenance your panel may actually run for as long as 40 50 years. Luckily the lifespan of solar panels will allow you to produce energy for many years providing a great return on investment. Especially because your panels will not stop working after 25 years they just won t work as well. You can count on most photovoltaic solar panels to last 25 years before they begin to noticeably degrade.

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 general answer for monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels is 25 years. To put your mind at ease studies have proven solar panels can last anywhere between 25 to 30 years or sometimes more. While solar panels do last a long time and continue to perform at a high level for at least the duration of their warranty it s important to note that some very slight degradation is inevitable.

When you re considering investing in a solar installation wondering how long home solar panels last is a question that inevitably pops up. Chances are if you installed a roof top solar system today it would last longer than your roof.