# The life span on a solar panel



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

I have been hearing and reading about solar panels only lasting for 10 years. The place where I buy my solar panels has some vintage solar panels from the 80's when solar panels were not that popular. Anyways they are still working just fine. He said he had one tested and it was within 10% of what they were suppose to when they were new. Then he asked a question. "have you ever seen a wore out solar panel?,,,ever?" 

I don't know how long they last but been asking around to the people that have been around them for years and they all swear the old ones still work.

So I ask you have you ever seen a wore out solar panel?


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

I read somewhere that the first PV panel built in 1954 by Bell labs is still putting out 99% of its rated wattage.easy enough to goog up.I nave never wore one out.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

NASA estimates that even in the harsh radiation environment of space, PV cells lose only about 1-2% of effectiveness per year. Commercial grade panels lose a little less, about 0.5% per year, depending on the installation. Heat is their main enemy, damp heat is worse.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

sideKahr said:


> NASA estimates that even in the harsh radiation environment of space, PV cells lose only about 1-2% of effectiveness per year. Commercial grade panels lose a little less, about 0.5% per year, depending on the installation. Heat is their main enemy, damp heat is worse.


 Yea,, When I first got into solar power I thought for sure when winter came that the cold would reduce the output of my panels.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out they liked the cold and actually put out more power when cold.


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## 0rocky (Jan 7, 2018)

My panel manufacturer publishes the following performance over time data:








It may not be an industry standard.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

My neighbor is still using the same panels, charge controller, and inverter he installed 20 years ago.


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## 0rocky (Jan 7, 2018)

Found the following:
Solar panel degradation rate

A 2012 study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that, on average, solar panel output falls by 0.8 percent each year. This rate of decline is called solar panel degradation rate. Though this rate of decline metric will vary depending on which panel brand you buy, premium manufacturers offer degradation rates as low as 0.3%.

This means that, in year two, your panels will operate at 99.2 percent of their original output; by the end of their 25-year "useful lifespan," they will still be operating at 82.5 percent. In the years since this 2012 study has been conducted, more efficient technologies have been developed and many newer panels have just a 0.5 percent yearly decline in energy output.

Source: https://news.energysage.com/how-long-do-solar-panels-last/


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