How long does the battery life of photovoltaic panels last

After all, with solar panels typically lasting 30-40 years, you'll want to know how many battery systems you'll have to buy to match your panels' lifespan. We'll run through the average lifespan of different types of solar batteries, the factors that contribute to these figures, and how you can extend your battery's lifespan.

Solar batteries don't last as long as solar panels because they degrade more quickly. A solar panel's main components – aluminium, glass, plastic, and silicon – will all outlast the panel itself, and can be recycled once it's dismantled. A battery's components simply last for less time – though as we've covered above, the technology is improving.

Lead-acid batteries have a typical lifespan of three to seven years, with the flooded version lasting longer than the sealed model. And its life expectancy can drop even further if owners don't keep up with lead-acid batteries' more extensive maintenance needs.

That said, infrequent use can also cause a solar battery to go idle, and most batteries should be charged and discharged at least twice per year. Finally, the conditions in which your battery operates will affect both its daily performance and total life span.

Running too few or too many cycles can be detrimental to your battery's lifespan. A single cycle per day is a normal rate for a household with solar panels, though if you're on one of the best export tariffs, check with your installer if it'd be more profitable to run two cycles.

If you want a more accurate way of measuring a battery's lifespan, you can track the number of total cycles it's performed – meaning the amount of times it charges up and discharges. The best batteries can usually go through roughly 6,000 cycles in total, and most homes will typically cycle through their battery around once per day.