4 ms·

Well, maybe 30 years rather than 20, but they do degrade. See: https://www.nrel.gov/news/features/2022/aging-gracefully-how-nrel-is-extending-the-lifetime-of-s

Well, maybe 30 years rather than 20, but they do degrade. See: https://www.nrel.gov/news/features/2022/aging-gracefully-how-nrel-is-extending-the-lifetime-of-solar-modules.html https://www.nrel.gov/news/features/2022/aging-gracefully-how... "A major question in the solar energy industry is exactly how much we should expect solar modules to degrade each year...and when they will eventually degrade so much that they no longer produce adequate power...For modules built today, it is probably 30 years."

Schroedingersat 4y ago
..same way as the steam generator, turbines, bearings, etc. etc. in a thermal generator need replacing. Except a quarter of the cost.
jeffbee 4y ago
I wonder if those guys have ever met the people from the other side of the NREL office who are running the PV Lifetime project. They have commercial, non-research panels in the field that are aging much less than 0.5% per year.
ZeroGravitas 4y ago
That stat is when they think it'll drop below 80% of original production, not when it needs scrapped.