In this article, you are going to learn more about the operational costs of a solar panel system. This will help you to make a precise economic viability of your solar panel system.
When considering the economic viability of a solar panel system, it does not just involve the acquisition costs. The solar PV systems also create running costs during the period under examination (usually 20 to 25 years).
These need to be an integral part of the analysis of its economic viability. As a rough estimate, the operating costs can be assumed by between 1 to 1.5 percent of the acquisition cost of the solar panel system, annually.
Solar power inverters
Solar power inverters are not as persistent as the solar PV modules. In other words, they have to be replaced or repaired from time to time. Thus meaning that corresponding reserves must be set aside.
With a life expectancy of about ten years and costs between 10% and 20% of the total price, approximately 1.5 % of the total amount will fall due annually, which should be set aside for the replacement of the solar power inverter.
At the same time, the solar power inverter uses power from the utility grid for the plant monitoring and the like.
while reading this article and to know more about Maintenance costs and options you have to protect your investment you can check this article
http://www.pinsac.net/important-facts-you-need-to-know-about-maintenance-contract-of-solar-panel-systems/
Maintenance costs of the solar panel system
The maintenance costs for the solar panel system are included in the above mentioned 1.5 percent. Many companies offer maintenance contracts for solar PV systems. The costs are about $200 per year.
Maintenance agreements are certainly reasonable deposited money, in the end, failures in solar panel systems can be avoided, and when the solar PV system goes down, no electricity can be produced.
Solar panel cleaning
Leaves, dust, flower pollen and other debris can cause dirt on solar PV modules. Typically, a heavy downpour is sufficient to clean the module surface, but in specific cases or with regard to economic valuation the cleaning can be useful.
If this is performed by a solar specialist company, then the costs are ca. $5 to $6 per solar module. The frequency of solar panel cleaning depends on regional pollution, which is due to, for example, heavy traffic or agricultural activities. Otherwise, a professional solar panel cleaning once every few years will suffice.
Insurance of the solar panel system
Depending on the size of the solar PV system, a special insurance makes sense. Liability insurance, as well as “All Risks” insurance of PV systems, not only insure against losses in the feed-in remuneration but also against high repair costs or invaluable liability cases too.
Therefore, the expense of this type of insurance is comparatively moderate.
Photovoltaic insurance depends on the individual insurance company, the size of solar PV system and the scope of coverage.
To what extent the maintenance, cleaning and additional insurances are meaningful, must be checked in individual case.
In the case of 5 kWp solar PV system, the operational costs include the following expenses:
| operational costs for | Frequency | Average amount per year |
|---|---|---|
| Solar power inverter | on average every ten years | 1,5% of investment costs |
| Electricity of inverter | annually | $50 |
| Maintenance | annually | $200 |
| Solar panel cleaning | every 1 to 3 years | $125 to $150 (5 kWp) |
| Liability insurance | annually | $50 |
| Photovoltaic-insurance | annually | $200 |
| Total operational costs | per year for 5 kWp | $700 to $800 |
