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How do we think they are doing now?

whjohnson
So, in a provocative curious mood on the eve of Easter w/end I began to wonder about PV panels.

There must be many by now which have been in service for 10 years or more.

How do we think they are doing in comparison to when they were new?

How does, or rather, what is a typical rate in efficiency fall-off over time?

My guess is that many, especially those installed on dwellings with difficult accessible roofs will not have been looked at nor cleaned for at least a decade if they have been in service for that long.


What do we reckon? Would a figure of say 50% or less be an unreasonable estimate of today's efficiency level for a decade old installation?

I wonder if Greta does a PV cleaning round in the same way window cleaners do?

Happy Easter.
Parents
  • 0
    In fact, I have found that the variation between years is far greater than any reduction in efficiency.


    My panels were installed in 2011 and paid for themselves in 8 years.  I have kept figures since the start and I could give generation week by week since then.  The annual generation is (calendar year January to December)

    2012 2718 kWh,

    2013  2696 kWh

    2014  2896 kWh

    2015  2786 kWh

    2016  2756 kWh

    2017  2771 kWh

    2018  2959 kWh

    2019  2851 kWh

    2020  2989 kWh.

    I was expecting a reduction, and 10% would have disappointed me but not surprised but so far it is not measurable.  I don't clean them, they are largely self-cleaning.


    David
Reply
  • 0
    In fact, I have found that the variation between years is far greater than any reduction in efficiency.


    My panels were installed in 2011 and paid for themselves in 8 years.  I have kept figures since the start and I could give generation week by week since then.  The annual generation is (calendar year January to December)

    2012 2718 kWh,

    2013  2696 kWh

    2014  2896 kWh

    2015  2786 kWh

    2016  2756 kWh

    2017  2771 kWh

    2018  2959 kWh

    2019  2851 kWh

    2020  2989 kWh.

    I was expecting a reduction, and 10% would have disappointed me but not surprised but so far it is not measurable.  I don't clean them, they are largely self-cleaning.


    David
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