Tấm pin quang điệnPhotovoltaic panels · BàiLesson 6/7
Panel Degradation and Warranty
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Solar Knowledge HubSuy giảm và bảo hành tấm pinPanel degradation and warranties
Một tấm pin không giữ nguyên công suất mãi mà giảm dần theo năm, mức giảm đó được hãng bảo chứng bằng hai loại bảo hành riêng biệt phải đọc cùng nhau.A panel does not hold its rated power forever, the decline is guaranteed by the manufacturer through two separate warranties that must be read together.
| Công nghệTechnology | Suy giảm/năm (sau năm 1)Annual rate (after year 1) | Còn lại sau 30 nămRemaining after 30 years |
|---|---|---|
| PERC loại PPERC P-type | khoảng 0.55%about 0.55% | khoảng 86%about 86% |
| TOPCon loại N (JA, Jinko)TOPCon N-type (JA, Jinko) | khoảng 0.40%about 0.40% | khoảng 87–88%about 87–88% |
| Back-contact ABC (AIKO)Back-contact ABC (AIKO) | khoảng 0.35%about 0.35% | khoảng 88–89%about 88–89% |
Bản infographic gốc ghi bảo hành sản phẩm Jinko là 15 năm. Datasheet thực tế của Jinko ghi 12 năm. Hai bảo hành hoàn toàn độc lập, tấm có bảo hành sản phẩm 12 năm và bảo hành hiệu suất 30 năm là bình thường, không mâu thuẫn.The original infographic stated Jinko product warranty as 15 years. The actual Jinko datasheet states 12 years. The two warranties are entirely independent, a panel with a 12-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty is normal, not contradictory.
Khi khách so bảo hành giữa các tấm, chỉ rõ hai con số riêng biệt. Đừng để khách nhầm bảo hành hiệu suất 30 năm là tấm được thay miễn phí trong 30 năm: đó là bảo hành sản phẩm, thường chỉ 12–15 năm. Giải thích đúng giúp khách tin và giúp người bán nổi bật so với nơi nói mập mờ.When customers compare warranties across panels, always show two separate numbers. Don't let them confuse a 30-year performance warranty with free replacement for 30 years: that's the product warranty, typically only 12–15 years. Accurate explanations build trust and differentiate from vague competitors.
A solar panel does not maintain its rated output indefinitely. Power output declines gradually over the years, and manufacturers back that decline with a warranty. Understanding degradation and reading both warranty types correctly enables honest sales advice and a sound assessment of a panel’s long-term value. This topic was only touched on in scattered sections of the original infographic material, so this document consolidates it completely.
For: sales staff explaining warranties to customers, technicians evaluating long-term value, newcomers who need to understand why panel output decreases over time.
Quick summary
Panel degradation occurs in two phases. The first year sees a slightly larger drop due to initial light-induced effects; subsequent years follow a slow, linear decline. Modern N-type panels degrade more slowly than older P-type panels.
The typical annual degradation rate for N-type panels is about 0.4%, for high-performing back-contact panels such as AIKO about 0.35%, while older PERC panels run about 0.55%. After 30 years, a good N-type panel is warranted to retain at least roughly 87 to 88% of its rated output; back-contact panels, which degrade more slowly, typically retain more in practice, around 89%.
There are two separate warranties that must be read together. The product warranty covers physical defects, typically for 12 to 15 years. The performance warranty guarantees minimum retained output over time, typically for 25 to 30 years.
Two phases of degradation
Panel degradation is not uniform; it occurs in two distinct phases. The first year sees a somewhat larger loss due to initial light-induced effects, which include light-induced degradation (LID) and light and elevated temperature-induced degradation (LeTID). Boron-doped P-type panels experience a more pronounced first-year drop because of boron-oxygen complexes, typically 1 to 2%. Phosphorus-doped N-type panels are largely immune to this effect, so their first-year loss is generally below 1%.
From year two onward, the panel degrades at a slow, linear annual rate. This is the portion covered by the performance warranty and the key factor determining how much electricity the panel will still produce after twenty or thirty years.
| Technology | Annual degradation after year one |
|---|---|
| P-type PERC | approx. 0.55% |
| N-type TOPCon | approx. 0.40% |
| Back-contact ABC | approx. 0.35% |
The annual degradation rate matters more than most people realise when calculating long-term energy yield. A panel degrading at 0.4% per year retains roughly 90% of its output after 25 years, while a panel at 0.55% per year retains only about 86%. A difference of a few tenths of a percent per year compounds into a meaningful gap in total lifetime energy production: a genuine reason to choose a good N-type panel.
Two warranties: read them together
This is where the most common confusion arises during sales consultations. A solar panel carries two separate warranties with distinct meanings.
The product warranty, also called the workmanship warranty, guarantees that the panel is free from physical defects and manufacturing faults; if it fails due to such a defect, it will be replaced. The term is typically 12 years for N-type panels from JA Solar and Jinko Solar, or 15 years for certain premium lines such as AIKO.
The performance warranty guarantees that the panel will retain at least a specified minimum output level over time, in effect a promise about degradation. The term is typically 25 to 30 years; most current N-type panels are warranted to retain approximately 87 to 88% of rated output after 30 years.
These two figures are independent. A panel carrying a 12-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty is perfectly normal, there is no contradiction. This is also a correction from the original source material, which listed Jinko’s product warranty as 15 years; the actual datasheet specifies 12 years.
When a customer compares warranties across panels, point out both numbers clearly. A panel with a 15-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty guaranteeing 87% retained output represents a strong, transparent commitment. Make sure customers do not confuse the 30-year performance warranty with a free-replacement guarantee for 30 years. Those are two entirely different things. Explaining this correctly builds customer trust and sets you apart from competitors who speak in vague terms.
Two-phase degradation and initial light-induced effects per SurgePV and Rayzon Solar. Annual degradation rate of approximately 0.4% for N-type versus approximately 0.55% for PERC per SurgePV; AIKO back-contact approximately 0.35% per AIKO Solar. Retained output of approximately 87.4% after 30 years per Jinko and JA Solar datasheets. Distinction between 12-to-15-year product warranty and 25-to-30-year performance warranty per Clean Energy Reviews, with Jinko’s product warranty confirmed at 12 years per datasheet.