Solar Panel Degradation Per Year

This rate of decline is called solar panel degradation rate.

Solar panel degradation per year.

Degradation at a rate of 0 25 to 0 4 per year ensures that your solar power system continues to produce more than 90 of its original power production for 25 years. Reported on block iv and v monocrystalline si systems deployed in florida and found degradation rates well below 1 year 32. However a study conducted by the national renewable energy laboratory nrel shows a more accurate picture of solar panel degradation. But with degradation of 0 8 per year production drops below 90 before 15 years have passed.

Solar site assessors use these rates. The worst degradation rate is 80 a year but as a benchmark you can expect an average degradation rate of 50 a year for any panel. In addition degradation rates for 10 selected systems were found to be larger than 1 year. That s backed up by the solar panel manufacturer s warranty which guarantees 90 production in the first ten years and 80 by year 25 or 30.

In 1977 the department of energy established the solar energy research institute in golden colorado. According to a national renewable energy laboratory nrel study premium modern solar panel manufacturers such as panasonic and lg offer panels with degradation rates as low as 0 30 per year. A 2012 study by the national renewable energy laboratory nrel found that on average solar panel output falls by 0 8 percent each year. Panels in more moderate climates such as the northern united states had degradation rates as low as 0 2 per year.

The different independent studies that tackled the question of solar modules degradation end up with an average of 0 8 per year. And while other brands have higher degradation rates of up to 0 8 per year that s still a yearly average degradation rate of only 0 5. On average solar panels degrade at a rate of 1 each year. Those panels could retain 96 of their production capabilities after 20 years.

Panel companies are only comfortable offering this guarantee because of a 2012 nrel study photovoltaic degradation rates an analytical review that found solar panels degrade about 0 5 to 3 each year barring any equipment issues.