[DoughtyOne]

Solar panels have only been the thing for homes for the last
15 years or so. So how are we running into 25 to 30 year
problems at this point?

These hysterical articles are getting tiresome.

[Drago]

3.2 megawatts of PV solar retired in 2013 (installed in 1984)(at the former Rancho Seco nuclear plant).

https://www.transmissionhub.com/articles/2016/10/smud-powers-up-11-mw-solar-plant-at-rancho-seco.html

[Deaf Smith]

>>25 to 30 year problems at this point?

Used Car Salesmen marketing.

[Kozy]

California is offering new tax incentives. Do it over again and make money,

[Nifster]

In California they were early adopters. Started putting solar panels on homes ( mostly for heating water) thirty to forty years ago. So some of the earliest ones are now useless

[the_Watchman]

The timeframe may be a bit early, but are you willing to wait until groundwater is polluted before anyone raises an alarm?

I hung up on a solar pitch last week and pointed out to my wife that the environmental problems associated with the way they are disposed makes solar panels immoral!

[JParris]

Only been around 15 years or so....

So, how could anyone accurately predict a life span of 25 - 30 years.

I offer there was never a 25 year life, it was sold as such to justify the installation expense over time.

So, recalculate return on investment numbers based on 15 yr life and see if it was as economically appealing to begin with.

[joshua c]

there were solar energy credits back in the 80s

the irs caught a company inflating prices with a kickback to the customer to max the credit

[skr]

Roofs are supposed to last about 30 years, but, in reality, they only last about 15. And they are far simpler than solar panels.

[P.O.E.]

There was solar-assisted hot water in a house I bought 25 years ago (long-since sold)

[mewzilla]

Maybe because the 25 to 30 year estimate was overly optimistic...?

[scrabblehack]

They’ve been around since the 1970’s - maybe before. Maybe not a big thing then but they were around. So the problem of disposing of the old ones will get worse.

[Spktyr]

CA was actually pushing them at least as far back as the 90s - these were originally promoted for businesses, apartments, etc.

[BobL]

“Solar panels have only been the thing for homes for the last 15 years or so. So how are we running into 25 to 30 year problems at this point?”

Because they don’t last that long, at least in the heat of much of California where their adhesives vaporize rather quickly.

But saying such would not play well to people deciding on whether to buy panels, so they keep the longer numbers in the article and hope people don’t notice.