Are you worried about the performance and what to do with the panels after 20 years?
Many people think solar panels don’t last long because they’re manufactured products. Well, that’s wrong. In fact, solar panels last for over 25 years.
That means solar panels that were installed in the 1990s are still working today. The only difference is the energy efficiency after 20 years.
That’s why most solar companies offer their customers a power production guarantee. That means that if the system does not produce the amount of power written in the agreement, you will be reimbursed the underproduction.
Solar life expectancy doesn’t mean that the panel will stop generating electricity in your home. It means that energy production will be reduced than what solar manufacturers consider an average family needs. The panel will still generate electricity, but the energy will decrease as years goes on.
As technology advances, Solar panels produce less energy over time. This is called the degradation rate. Researchers have discovered that the average energy loss is 0.5% per year, which means that a solar panel loses 0.5% of its energy production efficiency in a year.
Let’s do the math.
0.5 × 20 = 10%
There is some degradation with the panels, but these panels are so efficient these days that at year 30 the system will still be functioning at close to 90% efficiency.
There are more reasons to go solar these days than to not. You remember what gas prices were 20 years ago? Now picture your electric prices in 20 years. Imagine if you were able to lock your gas prices in back then, what would you be paying for gas these days? Same concept as solar, and that’s a main reason why people are taking the solar plunge.
Maintain your solar panels
Luckily, there is not much required maintenance with solar. Solar doesn’t have any moving parts. Therefore, the only maintenance that needs to be done is if a panel or inverter were to malfunction. If that situation were to occur, our team would be notified right away through our monitoring system and a team would be send out to replace any part at no cost to you. This is covered in your warranties! Solar is an asset, not a liability. If you had to come out of pocket to fix unworking parts on a system, then most people would not want to deal with that, which is why companies have set up their maintenance and costs to be no liability to the homeowner, but rather to the solar company. It’s scientifically proven that solar panels last longer, but it’s up to you to make them last longer. Solar having the efficiency of lasting longer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of it.
What about after 20 years?
What should you do after 20 years?
Well that is up to you, there are a couple of options:
Option 1: Buy the system at fair market value
If you have not already bought the system outright, you can now. 20 year old equipment is not going to be worth much in the sense of breaking the bank. We know that the panels will be efficient for at least 30 years. So at year 20 you will still have 10 years of productivity, that means 10 years of no more solar payments. Yay!
Option 2: Upgrade to a new system
Another option would be getting brand new equipment. That means we take the old panels down, put new ones up and we re-enroll you into the program. Sounds like an easy decision, right? Maybe, maybe not.
New equipment sounds cool and all, but keep in mind you will now get your new solar rate in comparison to the previous rates at that time. We don’t have a crystal ball to predict what the solar rates will be at that time, but just like everything else we assume they will be higher than the rate you were previously locked in at, 20 years before.
But don’t worry. We are evolving at Elegant Solar, as well. We will always keep you updated on new equipment and services.
Option 3: Remove the panels
After 20 years if you decide that you no longer want the system then we will come remove the panels for you at no cost and put your roof back to the original way that we found it. The panels will be recycled and you will go back to getting your power from your local utility.
Conclusion
20 years is a long time and some might think that making a 20 year commitment might be a little nerve wracking but keep in mind if you don’t go solar you are in a lifetime commitment with your utility provider.
The only way to know if solar makes sense for your home is to schedule a SunTest with one of our Solar Professionals.