{"id":345940,"date":"2026-01-01T06:14:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T06:14:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/345940\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T06:14:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T06:14:11","slug":"old-solar-panels-built-in-the-early-1990s-are-still-going-strong-after-30-years-at-80-original-power-and-thats-a-big-deal-for-our-energy-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/345940\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Solar Panels Built in the Early 1990s Are Still Going Strong After 30 Years at 80% Original Power \u2014 And That\u2019s a Big Deal for Our Energy Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\" <\/a>Credit: Pixabay.<\/p>\n

In the late 1980s, when Switzerland was just beginning to experiment with solar power, engineers bolted a few shiny panels onto rooftops, mountain stations, and even utility-scale farms. They probably didn\u2019t expect those panels to still be humming along more than three decades later.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s exactly what a new study shows. Researchers from Switzerland, Austria, and Germany tracked six photovoltaic systems installed between 1987 and 1993 across the country\u2019s dramatically different climates \u2014 temperate valleys, snowy mountain huts, and high-altitude research stations perched above the clouds. After more than 30 years, those panels are still reliably producing electricity.<\/p>\n

The Surprising Longevity of Solar<\/p>\n

\"Images <\/a>System photos, showing the profile view (top) and aerial view (bottom). Approximate location in Switzerland is indicated in the bottom right corner. The Tiergarten system is separated in the East and West parts of the rooftop in the data and results. Credit: EES Solar, 2025.<\/p>\n

On average, the Swiss panels lost just 0.24% of their performance each year. That\u2019s about three times slower than what\u2019s often reported in the literature. In practical terms, most of the panels still deliver more than 80% of their original power \u2014 well past the 25-to-30-year warranties manufacturers usually provide.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis [data] really shows that photovoltaics can last [longer than expected], and it\u2019s an important message to the photovoltaic industry,\u201d lead researcher Ebrar \u00d6zkalay at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, told Chemistry World<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The results are very similar to findings from France last year. There, Hespul, a renewable energy nonprofit, tested the country\u2019s oldest rooftop solar system, installed in 1992. After 31 years, the French panels were still operating at nearly 80%<\/a> of their original capacity \u2014 right in line with the Swiss data. Hespul declared that the results demonstrated photovoltaics\u2019 \u201ccapacity to become one of the major sources of energy in France and in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Together, these studies show that solar panels, even those using outdated tech from decades ago, can keep running for a very long time. <\/p>\n

Climate, Materials, and the Solar Recipe<\/p>\n

The Swiss study dug into why some panels age better than others. Location turned out to matter. Panels in low-altitude towns, where surfaces can heat up to 80\u00b0C in summer, degraded faster. The constant heating and cooling cycles stressed the materials, leading to local corrosion and reduced conductivity.<\/p>\n

By contrast, panels mounted in alpine environments weathered the cold surprisingly well. They faced high ultraviolet radiation and wild day\u2013night swings, but they generally retained performance better than their lowland counterparts.<\/p>\n

Even more important than climate was what the researchers called the \u201cbill of materials.\u201d Panels built with robust encapsulants, adhesives, and backsheet laminates lasted far longer. Those early 1990s modules used tough EVA encapsulants, Tedlar backsheets, and solid glass\/foil structures. Some variants, like Siemens\u2019 SM55-HO \u201chigh output\u201d panels, even had different filler materials in the laminate to boost efficiency, which influenced how they aged.<\/p>\n

Not every panel held up equally. The oldest models, manufactured before UV stabilizers were added to encapsulants, showed more discoloration and delamination. Others suffered from solder bond failures that cut efficiency. Still, the fact that most continued to perform at a high level after decades in the field is remarkable.<\/p>\n

Lessons for the Terawatt Age<\/p>\n

Today, solar is no longer a boutique experiment. It supplies over 8% of the world\u2019s electricity and represents 70% of all new renewable capacity added in 2023. As we enter what researchers call the \u201cterawatt age\u201d of photovoltaics, the long-term reliability of solar panels matters more than ever.<\/p>\n

The Swiss findings suggest that cutting corners to boost efficiency or lower costs could be a mistake. \u201cThe bill of materials \u2014 everything that goes into a panel \u2014 has a great influence on performance, even when made by the same company,\u201d notes Dirk Jordan, a photovoltaics expert at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory.<\/p>\n

Modern modules are often designed with thinner, cheaper materials. That may drive down upfront prices, but it risks compromising longevity. For instance, in Gujarat, India, many solar installations from 2009\u20132013 have degraded severely, needing replacement after just 8\u201312 years, well below the standard 25-year expectation. Causes include<\/a> micro-cracks, poor build quality, soldering defects, and inadequate maintenance<\/p>\n

The old-school panels remind us that durability is just as crucial as efficiency and upfront cost in making solar sustainable. Longer-lived panels mean fewer replacements, lower costs, and a smaller carbon footprint.<\/p>\n

The findings appeared in the journal EES Solar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in August 2025. <\/p>\n


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