What is the Solar Panel Lifespan? Understanding the Factors Affecting It
An important question in the minds of the maximum customers before solar installation is: What is the solar panel’s lifespan? Generally, a solar panel lasts up to 25 – 30 years after installation. However, with the evolution of technology, the longevity of solar panels is increasing.
Before installation of solar panels, you should ask the installer about its lifespan as it is important for the return on investment from a solar system. Not only on technology, the actual lifespan of your solar panels depends on different factors like – the quality of solar panels, how they are installed, degradation rate, weather, etc.
In this blog, you will learn more about this along with some advice to increase their longevity and when you need to replace them.
The average lifespan of a solar panel can even stretch over 30 years. It is not necessary that a solar panel will stop working after that as solar panels can continue working for a long time.
The power output of solar panels declines with time. In the solar industry, the lifespan of solar panels is covered by 2 types of warranties:
- Product Warranty
- Performance Warranty
The product warranty of solar panels covers how long a solar panel will be functional. Usually, solar panels come with a product warranty of 10 to 15 years.
The performance warranty of solar panels covers their power output. A typical performance warranty guarantees a power output of at least 90% over 10 years and 80% over 25 to 30 years. TOPCon solar panels would have a power output of over 85% even after 25 years.
Thus, you must think of solar panel longevity in terms of decades. If you buy solar panels today, you can expect them to produce at least 80% of their total power capacity even after 30 years. However, it varies depending on the degradation of the particular solar panel you are installing.
What Is Solar Panel Degradation Rate?
The solar panel degradation rate is the pace at which the power output of solar panels declines. It is expressed as a percentage in terms of the annual loss of power.
The degradation rate of solar panels is inversely proportional to their quality. The higher the quality of materials used in the solar panels, the lower will be its degradation rate.
Read our solar-related blogs:
Which Type of Solar Panels Have the Best Lifespan?
To find the best solar panel with the best lifespan, you need to know the types of solar panels available. The most common types of solar panels are polycrystalline solar panels, mono-PERC half-cut, and TOPCon solar panels. Here’s a breakdown of their degradation rates:
Type of Solar Panel | Degradation Rate | Average Lifespan | |
Polycrystalline | 25 to 30 years | ||
2.5% in 1st year 0.67% to 0.68% in 2nd to 30th year | |||
Mono-PERC | 25 to 30 years | ||
2% to 2.5% in 1st year 0.55% to 0.60% in 2nd to 30th year | |||
TOPCon | 25 to 30 years | ||
Less than 1% in 1st year Less than 0.40% in 2nd to 30th year | |||
As you can see, most solar panels have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years. However, it is preferable to buy TOPCon solar panels as they have the least degradation rate, thus they will produce the most electricity even after 30 years.
Factors Affecting Solar Panel Lifespan
Here are the major factors affecting solar panel lifespan:
- Quality of Solar Panels
Solar panels are made of several components such as solar cells, EVA sheets, glass, and back sheet. The quality of all these materials decides the life expectancy of solar panels. Among these, the most important component is the solar cells. While TOPCon solar cells are the most durable, polycrystalline solar cells degrade at the fastest rate.
If you want to know more about solar panels, you can read our blog to learn about the different types of solar panels available in India.
- Quality of Solar Panel Installation
Your solar panels must be expertly set up on the mounting structure. Moreover, the connections must be properly done. For the maximum lifespan of PV panels, you must contact a DISCOM-empanelled vendor with years of experience to install your solar system.
At Das Energie, we have onboarded highly experienced DISCOM-empanelled vendors for installing solar systems. You can get the most affordable quotations for the best solar installation on our platform.
- Climate and Environment
The climate and environment in which you install the solar panels affect their efficiency and durability. Strong winds, hail storms, and humidity can negatively impact the lifespan of solar panels.
- Temperature
Solar panels degrade faster under high temperatures. Their efficiency is much lower at high temperatures. Solar panels work best at temperatures of around 25°C.
- Maintenance
Solar panels do not require much maintenance. However, it is important to do periodic checking and cleaning to ensure their health. Regular checkups ensure that you track the health of your solar panels, and take any corrective decisions if such a need arises.
Read our blogs on solar systems and equipment:
How to Make Your Solar Panels Last Longer?
In this section, we will look at some of the steps for ensuring maximum solar panels lifespan.
- Regularly Clean the Solar Panels
India is a country where it is difficult to avoid dust and pollution. Debris, dust, leaves, bird droppings etc., on the solar panels can drastically reduce their efficiency. It can lead to hotspots which will reduce the solar panel lifespan.
You can read our blog on solar panel cleaning to learn about the best practices for cleaning solar panels.
- Choose a Reputed Solar Installer and Equipment
You must verify the reputation or customer feedback of your solar installer before getting your solar system installed by them. Only an experienced solar vendor with a stellar track record should install your solar system.
A DISCOM-empanelled vendor will follow all government guidelines while installing your solar system. You can find the list of DISCOM-empanelled vendors on the official website of PM Surya Ghar.
It is equally important to buy your solar panels and other equipment from a reputed solar brand. A solar company with a good reputation is more likely to develop high-quality solar panels than one with a poor reputation. A company with a good reputation will almost certainly honour the warranty of your solar panel.
You can read our blog to learn about the top solar companies in India.
- Track the Power Output
One of the ways to extend the life expectancy of solar cells is to regularly track their power output. This is important because it will allow for early detection of any problems to avoid any sudden breakdown of your solar system. Power output is a good proxy for the health of a solar panel.
- Schedule Maintenance Checks and Panel Servicing
Solar panel maintenance is critical for a solar panel’s lifespan. You can hire professionals to maintain the solar panels. There are different types of solar panel maintenance such as preventive and corrective maintenance.
At Das Energie, we offer solar AMC services where our experienced technicians take cares of your solar system. Our mission is to deliver you the best service so that your solar panels can perform over time.
When Should You Replace Your Solar Panels?
You should replace your solar panels when they stop meeting your power requirements. Once their warranty is over and their power production is insufficient to reduce your electricity bills, you must replace them.
When you install a solar system, you can expect solar panel lifespan of up to 3 decades. In practical terms, you could replace the solar panels with the latest technology upon recovering your investment.
Generally, we recommend changing your solar panels once every 12 – 15 years with the latest technology available in the market.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 2 main warranties on solar panels are the product warranty and the performance warranty. The product warranty covers the solar panel’s longevity which lasts for 10 to 12 years. On the other hand, the performance warranty covers the power output of the solar panels and lasts for 25 to 30 years.
The degradation rate refers to the pace at which the power output of solar panels declines. It is expressed as the percentage decline in the power output of a solar panel annually. This rate can vary on different solar panels. To find the exact number, you have to refer the product brochure.
If you check the datasheet of a solar panel, you will find 2 kinds of degradation rates. One is the degradation rate for the 1st year, while the 2nd covers the period from the 1st year to another year such as the 25th, 27th, or 30th year.
The rise in temperature leads to faster degradation of the solar panels. Solar panels work best in cool and moderate temperatures. The ideal temperature is 25°C.
TOPCon solar panels have the best lifespan. However, the cost is higher due to low availability. After this panel, the solar panels with the best lifespan are mono-PERC and polycrystalline solar panels.
