Solar panels are built to be super durable. For the most value, you’ll want to make sure they last as long as possible.
Residential solar panel systems can now cost $20,000 or less after a newly expanded federal tax credit. That means the option to switch to clean energy has never been more attainable. “Since I got started back in 2008, the cost has dropped by something like 90%,” Chris Deline, a research engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, told CNET.
Solar panels are still an expensive investment, and you want to be sure that investment will still be paying off years from now.
So how long can you expect your solar panels to last, and how can you ensure the maximum lifespan of your investment? The list of factors to consider isn’t too long.
How long do solar panels typically last?
With a $20,000 or more cost of installation, you’ll want your solar panels to last longer than a few years. The good news is that they should.
Deline says most solar panels are designed to last decades, and reputable installers should offer warranties of 25 years or longer.
“In the entire system, probably some of the most durable and long-lived components are the solar panels themselves,” he said. “They often come with 25-year warranties. Further, the materials they’re composed of — aluminum and glass, primarily — can be durable enough to last much longer, sometimes 30, 40 or 50 years.”
