Lifetime of Solar Cells: Difference between revisions
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Panels installed in the 80's are still operational - [https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/how-long-do-solar-panels-last#:~:text=Modern%20solar%20panels%20used%20in,high%20as%2040%2D50%20years.] | Panels installed in the 80's are still operational - [https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/how-long-do-solar-panels-last#:~:text=Modern%20solar%20panels%20used%20in,high%20as%2040%2D50%20years.] | ||
Peak sun hours are defined as hours | Peak sun hours are defined as the integrated number of kWhrs per day. [https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/peak-sun-hours-explained#:~:text=One%20peak%20sun%20hour%20%3D%201000,irradiance%20received%20by%20the%20location.] | ||
But, it appears peak sun hours are integrated over time - as daily avg in MO as an example is | But, it appears peak sun hours are integrated over time - as daily avg in MO as an example is 4.7 kwhr/m2/day. [https://www.turbinegenerator.org/solar/missouri/] | ||
Annually - 5kwhr/day *355 is about 1700 kwhr/yr - and you get 2x the sun in the desert than in cold temperate zones. [http://www.inforse.org/europe/dieret/Solar/asolarirrad.gif] | |||
Latest revision as of 21:48, 12 August 2020
How long do solar panels last? Long.
25-30 years. [1]
But, it's really longer. At 0.8% annuaul decrease, they drop to 80% of their capacity after 25 years.
That means, as long as the panels are not physically damaged - they continue producing useful electricity for decades after.
Since 2012, panels have 0.5% annual efficiency drop. [2]
Thus, after 50 years, they are still 75% of their original efficiency! This is as close to lifetime design as it gets.
Manufacturing energy payback time is about 6 months. [3]
Panels installed in the 80's are still operational - [4]
Peak sun hours are defined as the integrated number of kWhrs per day. [5]
But, it appears peak sun hours are integrated over time - as daily avg in MO as an example is 4.7 kwhr/m2/day. [6]
Annually - 5kwhr/day *355 is about 1700 kwhr/yr - and you get 2x the sun in the desert than in cold temperate zones. [7]
![[7]](http://www.inforse.org/europe/dieret/Solar/asolarirrad.gif){kind=link}