Most panels are warranted to be producing a MINIMUM of 80% of their original power in 25 years.

 The panel is not going to to turn off at the 25 year mark. Many factors affect solar panel longevity. Many of the early solar panels made back in the 1970s are still running at 80% of their original power capacity. After 40 years, they are producing power well past their predicted useful life, these old panels are still operating efficiently.

The regular warranty for most photovoltaic solar panels is 25 -30 years. Here is how the manufacturers come up with this number: They calculate a loss of efficiency of .8% for every year. At this rate of degradation, after 25 years, the panels will be operating at 80% of their original efficiency. Solar panels should meet a minimum 80% efficiency standard, in order to be effective. Therefore 25 years is the time predicted for these panels to degrade below an 80% efficiency rate.

The Good News, there are crystalline panels that have been running for over 40 years.

What can you do to increase your solar panel longevity?

Solar panels don’t require heavy maintenance. Here are some simple steps you can take to keep them functioning at full capacity for a longer period of time than usual.

• Pick a manufacturer with a good reputation. For the most part, solar panels are encapsulated in low iron tempered glass and unaffected by the environment. The semiconductor material is isolated from the corrosive atmosphere. If a manufacturer uses sub-standard materials to encapsulate the metal and conductive materials, the panel will degrade.

• Make sure they have full access to light. Remove any tree limbs or other plant growth that block sunlight. Any shade will have a negative impact on a solar panel’s efficiency – but not just because of blocked photons. The shaded area will be a high-resistance“hotspot”, even, to some degree, with diodes installed. These hotspots can accelerate degradation of the module over time and lead to premature failure.

• Be sure to keep your solar panels clean. This is doubly true in areas with lots of wind. Keep your panels free of dust, dirt, sand and pollen. In more polluted cities, don’t let smog settle on the panels. In winter, keep snow and frost off the panels when possible.

At Sun City Solar, we find you the “Best Panel at the Best Price”. Give us a call.

Solar Power Provides Electric Credit

Would you like to have a credit on your electric bill instead of a balance due? Solar power is now more affordable than ever and  provides relief from the high summer electric bills we are all used to paying no matter how much they are.  Why continue to send  checks to your electric company when today you have a cost effective alternative. Plus, you have a home improvement which adds to your appraisal  and your home is more marketable with low or zero bills. Here is what our customer just wrote us; This could be you!

Tuesday, April 09, 2013 8:50 AM
Subject: My First $0 Empire Electric Bill

Sun City Solar,

Just a brief note to let you know I received my Empire Electric Bill for
March. It was $0 with -271 credits! Sure we have natural gas central heating
so that helps, but I have been monitoring our electric use and knew it was
likely to be very good, but this just confirms it.

Two weeks ago Empire sent an employee out to read our meters and look
everything over. My wife Debra spoke with him and he said they just wanted
to check the accuracy of the new meters and he then left.

A zero Electric bill is quite a rush. I know soon with air conditioning
season approaching things will be different, but still…

Again thanks to you and your crew and I look forward to having fun
monitoring my Sun City Solar Energy installed system.

Doug

Distributed Solar Power

Remember when we relied on Mainframe computers with outlying workstations?  A computer could not process information on its own.  Today, we rely on small portable laptops, I-phones, I-pads and other electronic devices for information, giving us independence and mobility.

Just as smaller sized computers enable independence, the same is now true for electricity.

Distributed energy refers to small modular power generating systems. Power is “distributed” and

Solar Power Battery System

“decentralized” because it is placed at or near the point of energy consumption.  Distributed energy is unlike traditional “centralized” power systems where electricity is generated at a remote large scale power plant and then transmitted through power lines to consumers.

Most of us have experienced power outages and know the unreliability of our current “centralized/transmitted power structure. With distributed energy, the quality and reliability of our electric supply is improved.  Homeowners and businesses can implement distributed energy simply by installing a small solar powered on-site battery system.  Solar Power battery systems provide both emergency backup and remote power.

Generators are the most common distributed energy technology in use today for stand-by power. However, generators create significant pollution and noise. Those who used generators during the recent power outages can attest that generators all also very expensive to operate.

There are many benefits to distributed decentralized energy including having a very important role in our nation’s energy portfolio and strengthening America’s energy security.

Grid-connected distributed solar power can and is being used to meet the peak demands of current “centralized” power systems.  These systems can be used to meet traditional base load power and peak demand power in hot summer months. Grid-connected solar adds greater stability to the electric grid, decreases transmission and distribution maintenance costs and reduces the need to construct more nuclear, gas or coal fired power plants.

Solar power can provide power when and where it is needed. Distributed solar power systems are modular and flexible. Solar Power is quiet and non- polluting. Now more than ever, Americans have a choice on where their power comes from; a choice to be independent and have a reliable clean quiet source of power at their location.  Every day, one customer at a time, Sun City Solar Energy empowers Americans a little closer to decentralized energy independence.