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When you install residential solar panels in Sydney, it is a costly affair. Hence, you always want to get the maximum cost benefit. When solar panels last longer, you will get higher cost benefits.
What is the standard lifespan of a solar panel? It is around 25 to 30 years. But you should remember that even if solar panels last around three decades, they do not generate the same amount of power throughout this period. The power output decreases over a period.
Solar panels offset your electricity use and reduce the energy bill. But to get a sense of when you should replace the solar installation, you will have to understand industry projections and the degradation rate of solar installation.
Do Solar Panels degrade over time?
Solar installers in Sydney give you the best installation that should give you performance year after year. However, as with most technologies, solar panels will also produce less energy over time naturally.
When the power generation reduces, the reduced power output is called the degradation rate.
The median solar panel degradation rate is about 0.5%, which means that the energy production of a solar panel will reduce at a rate of 0.5% every year.
Experts say that after 20 years, the panels will be working, but with 90% of their original output. As said earlier, as a general rule, the average life expectancy of a solar panel installation is around two to three decades. But that doesn’t mean that the solar panels will stop generating power after that. It means that energy production drops significantly.
Factors that affect solar power generation efficiency are extreme weather, wind, debris, or other external factors.
How can the life of a solar panel installation be extended?
1. Keep your panels clean
When solar panels accumulate dirt, pollen, leaves, and bird droppings, their efficiency reduces. Though the panels get cleaned during the rainy season, professional cleaning can keep them fully clean.
Make sure the panels are not under branches so that there is no possibility of getting damaged.
2. Monitor and maintain solar panels
By performing routine maintenance checks, you can keep all parts running at maximum efficiency. If you appoint a maintenance company for routine maintenance, then it is possible to identify possible problems at a smaller stage.
3. Hire a trusted solar provider
To ensure the longevity of a solar installation, you should get it from a trusted and reputable solar installer. It is a fact that solar systems are in general maintenance-free. However, you must get them from an installer that is reputed and known.
Since the industry standard says that the life of a solar power system is two decades. But when you buy a reputed brand and it is installed by a well-known installer, you can expect an uninterrupted power supply for more than 25 years. Ultimately, solar panels will offset electricity use for decades. They can bring down energy bills significantly. Therefore, it is essential to understand industry projections and degradation rates before hiring a solar installer.