What Is The Average Lifespan Of Solar Panels?

Solar panels are a very large investment, and so it is natural for you to consider the average lifespan of solar panels in your decision to invest.

What Is The Average Lifespan Of Solar Panels?

Solar panels are expected to last around 25-30 years on average. After this time, however, the solar panel won’t just cease working. It will simply start to be less effective in producing energy.

So, let’s have a look at the average lifespan of solar panels in some more detail, as well as some tips on how to keep them going for as long as possible!

Lifespan Of Solar Panels

The efficiency of solar panels tends to decrease by about 1 percent every year that they are in use.

What Can Shorten The Lifespan Of Solar Panels?

Poor Installation

If your solar panels were installed in a poor manner, such as some wires were left exposed during installation, or physical damage was inflicted on them during the installation process, this will immediately reduce the lifespan of your solar panels.

Ensure you get them installed by a trusty professional to prevent this from happening

Type Of Solar Panel

Different solar panels will have different life spans, so you should have a look at this before you buy, see some guidance on this later on.

How They Are Maintained?

You should have your solar panels inspected at least once a year to ensure that there are no small damages that can be easily repaired. It is best to fix these problems before they get bigger and shorten the lifespan of the panels!

Weather

The weather that your solar panels are exposed to will affect their lifespan. For instance, extreme weather conditions, temperature changes, high winds, snow and temperature changes will all have an effect.

Sun exposure will also shorten your solar panels’ lifespan, as it means the solar panels will be working harder!

Average Solar Panel Warranties

On average, manufacturers offer a 25 year warranty. Check the warranty that you are being offered to ensure you are getting a good deal!

Most commonly, the warranty will ensure that your panels will produce at least 80% of the output that they were producing when they were brand new.

The warranty of your product is very important as, chances are, over the 25 years average warranty, you may need to get in touch with the manufacturer for some help with damages.

Lifespan Of Different Types Of Solar Panel

Lifespan Of Different Types Of Solar Panel

Depending on the type of solar panel you have, they tend to have different lifespans. If you have a monocrystalline solar panel, you can expect it to last a very long time. These last from 25 to 50 years.

A polycrystalline solar panel is more likely to have reached its end after 25 years. The thin-film solar panels have a lower lifespan of around 10 to 20 years.

Can You Increase The Lifespan Of Your Solar Panels?

There are some things you can do to slow down the degrading performance of your solar panels and keep them going for longer. Read on for some tips and tricks on how to achieve this.

Tips To Increase The Lifespan Of Your Solar Panels

While the lifespan of your solar panels is mostly out of your hands, there are some things you can do to increase the chances of your solar panels living as long as possible! These are:

Clean The Panels

Keeping your solar panels clean is a very good way of ensuring their lifespan. It removes threats and increases efficiency.

rd droppings reduce the overall lifespan of a solar panel because they can be corrosive to the product. Debris on the surface can stop the UV rays from reaching the solar panels.

Get Them Inspected

Make sure you get a professional in every now and again to check them over for any problems that you may not be able to spot yourself! This will definitely increase the lifespan as they can fix any small problems before they become big ones!

Purchase High-Quality Solar Panels In The First Place

While it might be tempting to get the cheapest panels on the market, there is something to be said in getting a slightly more expensive manufacturer.

When you’re looking to buy, have a look at what is available, what kinds of warranties they offer, and the expected lifespan of the specific product! Going for the absolute cheapest one on offer may not always be the best decision for you.

Final Thoughts

You should now have all the information you need on the average lifespan of solar panels, as well as top tips on how you can protect your solar panels to keep them going for as long as possible!

While solar panels are very expensive investments, they do pay off in the long run because of their extremely long lifespan!

Joe Danner