“But will the panels even survive 9 years...time will tell”
Did you even read that article?! Here is an excerpt. All Caps emphasis mine
•A 33W solar panel (Arco Solar 16-2000) actually outperformed it’s original factory specifications 30 YEARS after it was manufactured.[2]
•World`s first modern solar panel still works after 60 YEARS.[3]
•Kyocera has reported several solar power installations that continue to operate reliably and generate electricity even though they are nearly 30 YEARS old.[4]