A story of solar panels, their durability, and the investment potential!
Some Background
The solar panels we typically install guarantee at least 85% of nominal power up to 25 years after installation. Even with this guarantee, many customers cite concerns about whether or not panels really last that long. Spoiler alert: they do!
In 2009, we installed some panels onto a homeowner’s house in South Burlington. Back then, it was even a big enough deal to make it on the local evening news!
With the proliferation of solar across Vermont and the country, installations like this do not typically make the news anymore. The paradigm has been shifted in the right direction – we see this as a huge win!
Check out how small the trees were in that video compared to in the current photos! You may also recognize our Solar Engineer, Nik!
Back to the point
At the time of the installation, the shingles on the homeowner’s roof were a few years old.
Fast forward to this spring: we got a call from the new homeowners that they were planning to replace the old shingles. They asked if we could remove the solar panels for the roofers then re-install them when the roof was complete. We were happy to help, of course! Upon inspection of the array, it was clear that these older panels still had a lot of life left.
In other words, these panels had recouped their cost years ago, and keep on giving!
Since the time these solar panels were purchased, the industry has grown into a robust, regulated, and highly competitive market. These factors and more have made photovoltaic panels cheaper, more resilient, and more effectively tested.
Final Thoughts
This story is a great example of the investment potential solar energy has to offer. If this original homeowner was able to make this work (and have it continue to work!) before 25-year guarantees and the wealth of information we have today, the rest of us don’t have any excuses!
**Special Reminder**
The federal tax credit for solar is 26%. Give us a call or contact us for more info!
