Today’s solar panels usually have a warranty period of around 25 years; but if solar panels of the past are anything to go by, a far longer life can be expected.
The oldest known solar panel in Britain (if you can call it that) to be still functioning is this sixty year old contraption built by a British science teacher.
While that particular device doesn’t bear much resemblance to today’s solar panels, this one does – a mass produced 33-watt panel from 1980 that the owner says is still producing electricity “better than factory specs”. Mr. Holladay points out that solar panel manufacturers have made several improvements since he bought his first module three decades ago.
Closer to home, some members of national solar power solutions provider Energy Matters’ online community report owning solar panels and solar hot water services over 25 years old.
A search on Google reveals various similar reports; a testament to the durability of solar modules, particularly given that 25 years ago they weren’t all that common.
While these sorts of reports are encouraging, it doesn’t mean that panels will live forever – at some stage they will fail or lose considerable efficiency – and that’s where solar panel recycling will become incredibly important.
Solar technology is still fairly new and as such the true average life expectancy of today’s solar panels is yet undetermined, but it is nice to hear these stories and contemplate that the panels we have on our rooftops today could well last longer than the roof tiles; particularly those produced by companies known for excellence in producing solar power equipment.
