Quote:
Originally Posted by TheEnemy
I have heard people say that a PV solar panel will last 50+ years when they do the cost return analysis, I typically use a much more conservative 20 year lifespan in my calculations. Just because they can last 50+ years in ideal conditions doesn't mean they will last anywhere near that.
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I have no idea how long they will last under ideal conditions, it might be 100 years or it might 1,000 years, it's impossible to really say, but what we can say is that in
real world testing PV panels have been in use without fail for 60+ years and that with most PV panels
after 20 years you still have 5 years left on the warranty! (25 year warranty is industry standard) and I have personally seen PV panels that are 25+ years old that are still putting out over the rated output and that non of them that were bought at the same time have failed, at the time those panels only had a 15 year warranty and I'm sure I could find some that are older then that, but 25 years ago is when PV panels started to become affordable and easy to get and based off of the inspection of those panels that are 25+ years old, I see no reason that they will not last another 25 or even 50 years or more! they are not degrading and the new panels that are out there are being made with higher quality materials and in factories that have better control over their manufacturing environment.
But this thread is about EV's not PV's of course they are related and when you look at the long term cost you have to ask your self what is the payback on burning gasoline, coal or other fossil fuels, They are a net loss with a cost that keeps going up and you have little choice about where your gasoline comes from but you have a wide range of choices over where your electricity comes from, you can even make your own electricity easier then you can make your own gasoline.