Solar panels are a large investment but one with many benefits that make them worthwhile for most in the long term. Considering the money spent on getting solar panels installed, the last thing anyone would expect is for it to show signs of degradation after just a few years, with one of the more common problems being discoloration on the panels.
You can always choose to maintain your solar panels by properly cleaning them with the help of experts. K&B Solar Panel Cleaning will assist you in taking good care of your solar panels once you decide to install them for your home. Cleaning is one way to maintain the effectiveness of the solar panels and to avoid discoloration.
Solar panel discoloration is very noticeable, with the formerly white portions across the surface of the cell turning into a yellow or brown color, and it tends to happen just a few years after installation. It’s not just an eyesore on the panels, as it can cause the solar module to become less efficient, often being the first sign of more serious problems.
How Long Do Solar Panels Last?
Depending on the manufacturer, solar panels’ performance can be guaranteed for 25 – 30 years, but it’s very possible that your panels will go on to produce electricity for longer than that. The first 25 to 30 years after your solar installation is considered the system’s “useful life”, but panels can still produce electricity for decades longer. In fact, the world’s first modern solar panel is still producing electricity at the ripe age of 60!
What is a solar panel’s useful life? Just like a lot of other equipment, solar panels don’t perform at 100% for their entire life and then just stop working in year 30. Instead, solar panels, at a very slow rate, produce less electricity as they age. This process is called degradation.
Because of solar panel degradation, most panels’ production warranties change as they age. Manufacturers typically guarantee 90% of the panels’ production until the first ten years. After ten years, that percentage drops back to 80% for the remaining 15 – 20 years.
Why Do Solar Panels Get Discolored?
The problem occurs when ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) film, a material used as an encapsulant on the panel, undergoes an uncontrolled chemical reaction. For example, certain chemicals used to treat the glass panels react with chemicals used in the silicon cells, resulting in the formation of acetic acid, which is one of the leading causes of discoloration.
However, there is an even more common cause of solar panel discoloration – exposure to sunlight. While this may sound strange given solar panels are designed to be exposed to sunlight, problems often happen when the EVA is made from cheaper materials.
EVA helps to maintain UV resistance in solar panels, with ultraviolet rays not being used by the panels, so when lower-quality materials are used for this the resistance isn’t as good. Eventually, prolonged UV exposure starts to discolor the EVA, causing it to turn yellow or brown. Again, this happens after the first few years.
How to Stop Solar Panels From Discoloration?
Unfortunately, there are few measures that you can take to prevent discoloration in solar panels, as it’s often the result of low-quality EVA, meaning the best way to stop it from happening is to ensure you buy from a reputable manufacturer using top quality materials for the back sheet.
Before buying panels, make sure to inquire about the EVA and its expected durability, or you could take things a step further and avoid buying solar panels that use EVA for the back sheet. Again, this needs to be done prior to buying, so what if you already have solar panels installed?
One measure that is thought to prevent discoloration is the use of UV-blocking glass panels. These prevent UV rays from passing through the glass, virtually eliminating the chances of discoloration in the first few years of purchase, so replacing the glass may be your best way to keep your solar panels in top condition!
Paneli za jua ni uwekezaji mkubwa lakini moja na faida nyingi ambazo hufanya iwe na thamani kwa wengi kwa muda mrefu. Kwa kuzingatia pesa zilizotumika kwenye kuweka paneli za jua, jambo la mwisho mtu angetarajia ni kwamba itaonyesha ishara za uharibifu baada ya miaka michache tu, na moja ya matatizo ya kawaida ni mabadiliko ya rangi kwenye paneli. Unaweza kuchagua kudumisha paneli zako za jua kwa kuzifanya safi kwa msaada wa wataalamu. K&B Solar Panel Cleaning inasaidia katika kutunza vizuri paneli zako za jua mara tu unapochagua kuziweka kwa nyumba yako. Kusafisha ni njia moja ya kudumisha ufanisi wa paneli za jua na kuepuka mabadiliko ya rangi. Uharibifu wa rangi ya paneli ya jua ni dhahiri sana, na sehemu za zamani nyeupe kwenye uso wa seli hubadilika kuwa rangi ya manjano au kahawia, na inaelekea kutokea miaka michache tu baada ya ufungaji. Si tu eyeore juu ya paneli, kama inaweza kusababisha moduli ya jua kuwa chini ya ufanisi, mara nyingi kuwa ishara ya kwanza ya matatizo makubwa zaidi. Paneli za Jua Hudumu Kwa Muda Gani? Kulingana na mtengenezaji, utendaji wa paneli za jua unaweza kudhaminiwa kwa miaka 25 hadi 30, lakini inawezekana sana kwamba paneli zako zitaendelea kuzalisha umeme kwa muda mrefu kuliko hiyo. Miaka 25 hadi 30 ya kwanza baada ya ufungaji wa jua huchukuliwa kuwa maisha ya mfumo, lakini paneli zinaweza kuzalisha umeme kwa miongo mingi zaidi. Kwa kweli, jopo la kwanza la jua la kisasa ulimwenguni bado linazalisha umeme katika umri wa miaka 60! Maisha ya manufaa ya jopo la jua ni yapi? Kama ilivyo kwa vifaa vingine, paneli za jua hazitumiki kwa asilimia 100 kwa maisha yao yote na kisha huacha kufanya kazi baada ya miaka 30. Badala yake, paneli za jua, kwa kasi ya polepole sana, hutokeza umeme mdogo zinapokuwa na umri. Utaratibu huo huitwa uharibifu. Kwa sababu ya uharibifu wa paneli za jua, dhamana za uzalishaji wa paneli nyingi hubadilika zinapokuwa na umri. Kwa kawaida, wazalishaji wanahakikisha 90% ya uzalishaji wa paneli hadi miaka kumi ya kwanza. Baada ya miaka kumi, asilimia hiyo hupungua hadi 80% kwa miaka 15 hadi 20 iliyobaki. Kwa Nini Paneli za Jua Hupoteza Rangi? Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) ni nyenzo ya kemikali inayotumiwa katika uundaji wa paneli. Kwa mfano, kemikali fulani zinazotumiwa kutibu paneli za kioo huathiriwa na kemikali zinazotumiwa katika chembe za silicon, na kusababisha kuundwa kwa asidi asidi, ambayo ni mojawapo ya sababu kuu za mabadiliko ya rangi. Hata hivyo, kuna kisababishi cha kawaida zaidi cha mabadiliko ya rangi ya paneli za jua - kuathiriwa na mwangaza wa jua. Ingawa hii inaweza kuonekana ya ajabu, kwa kuwa paneli za jua zimetengenezwa kufunuliwa na jua, matatizo hutokea mara nyingi wakati EVA imetengenezwa kutoka kwa vifaa vya bei nafuu. EVA husaidia kudumisha upinzani wa UV katika paneli za jua, na miale ya ultraviolet haitumiki na paneli, kwa hivyo wakati vifaa vya ubora wa chini hutumiwa kwa hii upinzani sio mzuri. Kwa muda mrefu, uvutano wa UV huanza kugeuza rangi ya EVA, na kuifanya iwe ya manjano au kahawia. Kwa mara nyingine tena, hilo hutukia baada ya miaka michache ya kwanza. Jinsi ya Kuzuia Paneli za Jua Zisivunje Rangi? Kwa bahati mbaya, kuna hatua chache ambazo unaweza kuchukua ili kuzuia rangi katika paneli za jua, kwani mara nyingi ni matokeo ya EVA ya ubora wa chini, ikimaanisha njia bora ya kuzuia kutokea ni kuhakikisha ununue kutoka kwa mtengenezaji mashuhuri kwa kutumia vifaa vya ubora wa juu kwa karatasi ya nyuma. Kabla ya kununua paneli, hakikisha kuuliza kuhusu EVA na kudumu kwake, au unaweza kuchukua mambo hatua zaidi na kuepuka kununua paneli za jua ambazo hutumia EVA kwa karatasi ya nyuma. Kwa hiyo, ni muhimu kufanya hivyo kabla ya kununua, na ikiwa tayari una paneli za jua. Hatua moja inayofikiriwa kuzuia mabadiliko ya rangi ni kutumia paneli za kioo zinazozuia miale ya UV. Hii inazuia miale ya UV kutoka kwa glasi, na kuondoa uwezekano wa mabadiliko ya rangi katika miaka michache ya kwanza ya ununuzi, kwa hivyo kubadilisha glasi inaweza kuwa njia bora ya kuweka paneli zako za jua katika hali bora.