30-year-old solar panels still going strong

3 comments

1. >A team based across Switzerland, Austria and Germany has now analysed the long-term performance of six photovoltaic systems **installed across Switzerland between 1987 and 1993.**
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   >An analysis of six solar panel systems installed in Switzerland over 30 years ago shows they remain effective, with material quality emerging as the main factor determining their longevity.

   >Panel performance **declined by just 0.24% per year** on average, about three times slower than literature values for such systems.

   study link: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/el/d4el00040d

2. Many developers want design life of structural components between 30 and 40 years

3. That’s good to know, but wondering if the panel tech is similar enough to modern panels that the data is relevant?

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