[Timon3]

> Using 30 years as a lifetime for solar panels is risky as there are no solar panels running for 30 years, not even close.

Are you sure about that? https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/30-year-old-solar-panels...

All the results I've seen indicate that solar panels will keep producing electricity long after those 30 years, just at a reduced rate (but seemingly still >50%).

[amanaplanacanal]

The article you linked to says at that age they are still producing over 80%.

[Timon3]

Yes, I just wanted to preempt any responses arguing that it might be lower than that.

[WalterBright]

How is generating only half the power going to work out?

[Timon3]

I'm not sure what kind of answer you expect here. Your initial objection further up was:

> By the time the "free" electricity has paid for the installation, you'll need to replace it.

Since you won't need to replace it, I'd say that this whole thing couldn't work out better: the panels are literally just generating electricity for free! And that's not even taking into account that 30yo panels generate more than "only half the power" (the study I linked measured ~80%).

Imagine someone offered to give you their 30 year old panels and install them on your property for free. Unless every eligible surface is already taken up by more efficient solar panels, who would say no?