Solar Panel Installation Longevity

Many people are opting to join the green revolution by using renewable energy to power their home and provide them with heating and hot water. There are many different types of renewable technologies on the market, including ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps, biomass boilers, wind turbines, micro CHP, hydroelectricity, wood fuelled heating, solar thermal and solar photovoltaic. Solar panels (solar thermal or solar photovoltaic) are the most popular forms of renewable technologies and are probably the best known on the market.

Solar Panel Installation Longevity – How Long Do Solar Panels Last?

Solar thermal panels, that heat your home and provide you with hot water, should last for at least 20 years before they need replacing. Solar photovoltaic panels, that provide you with electricity, generally last around 30 years, although their efficiency does drop slightly over time. Generally, after around 10 years, you can expect to have around 90% efficiency and after 25 years it will be around 80%.

Solar Panel Installation Longevity – What Maintenance Can You Perform?

Solar thermal panels need very little maintenance, but you should be given some details of any maintenance that you can do yourself by the installer, who should also advise you on how often to perform these checks. Usually, solar thermal panels are guaranteed for ten years and should be checked by yourself once a year and every three to five years by a professional installer.

For solar photovoltaic panels, maintenance is also almost negligible. Good solar panels should last around 30 years and are built in such a way that they can operate under the most adverse weather conditions. Again, some regular maintenance should be done once a year and every few years by a professional installer.

Solar Panel Installation Longevity – Is it worth it?

Considering the solar panel installation longevity, having solar panels installed is certainly worth the money. It is felt that you will have earned back your initial investment within 10 to 12 years (this is known as the payback period), meaning you are not even half way through the average life cycle of solar panels.

Furthermore, and this is particularly relevant for solar photovoltaic panels, the government now has the Feed in Tariff incentive, meaning that you will be paid for every kilowatt of energy you produce and feed back into the grid. The Feed in Tariff is currently set at 43.3 pence per kilowatt and you will potentially also receive around 3 pence per unused kilowatt from your energy provider. The Feed in Tariff is guaranteed for the next 25 years, as well as being index linked. This means that if energy prices go up (as they do), your Feed in Tariff will go up as well.

As you can see, installing solar panels is a great way to reduce your energy bills and make a conscious contribution to a greener environment with less carbon emissions and a lower carbon footprint. Considering solar panel installation longevity, this is actually longer than other technologies that we currently use, such as boilers and heaters.