If you’re thinking of adopting solar power systems for your property, whether it’s a business or a home, there are certain questions you’re going to want to answer first. One of the biggest is whether and how quickly solar panels pay for themselves. Just as important is how long solar panels last and what needs to be done to get the best from them.
The Lifespan of a Solar Power System
In test conditions, all things being equal, solar panels will last for around 25-30 years. Somewhere in that last five you’ll see efficiency starts to drop faster, so you get less and less output over time, and after thirty years the rate of degradation increases.
Reputable manufacturers – like those we use – will provide 25-year production warranties, promising a minimum of 80% efficiency in that timespan (given correct maintenance). These manufacturers are making higher-quality panels which have a longer useful life expectancy.
Of course, your solar system won’t be installed in test conditions. Studies have shown that hotter and more humid locations see increased rates of degradation.
Happily for our customers, the UK is not a high-humidity country in comparison to many, and even for rain (as much as we have a reputation for it) we’re drier than large parts of Europe. In fact, only two British cities rank on the list of Europe’s rainiest, with Glasgow coming in fourth and Leeds sixth.
The other thing to remember about the lifespan of solar power systems is that it’s not just the panels. Systems using string inverters will need to replace their inverter after 10-15 years. Microinverters last 20-25 years. As technology continues to advance, we’d expect new inverter systems to be an option by the time you replace your microinverter.
Maintaining Solar Panels
The most obvious single step in solar panel maintenance is to keep them clean. A buildup of anything on the panel will result in less power returned because there’s less surface area receiving sunshine.
You should only use mild soaps for your solar panels, applied with soft brushes or sponges. People often swap horror stories about the effects of someone who tried wire wool or harsh chemicals, but the worst damage we’ve seen came from a solar panel owner who saw his pressure washer as the ideal solution.
Don’t try to repair damage yourself! We can’t emphasise this enough. Quite apart from the risk to yourself, you’re much more likely to make the damage worse than you are to fix the situation.
If your system needs support, get in touch. We’ll be happy to assess the situation and figure out the best solution.
With correct maintenance and cleaning you can extend the effective life of your solar system. Whenever a part of it does need to be replaces, consult your installer to see how you can future-proof the system.
After all, if you install solar panels on your home in 2025, by the time you replace them after 2050, the replacements will likely be more effective – but your inverter and solar battery (if you have one) will have to be able to cope.