Modern solar panels degrade at 0. 7% annually according to NREL's 2024 comprehensive study of over 54,000 systems. Degradation rates must be known in order to predict power delivery. This article reviews degradation rates of flat-plate terrestrial modules and throughout the last 40years. 7% per year, significantly better than the 1. The 2026 market shift toward N-type silicon technology (TOPCon, HJT) is accelerating this. Solar panel degradation refers to the gradual decline in a panel's ability to convert sunlight into usable electricity. Even high-quality solar modules lose efficiency as they age due to material fatigue, UV exposure, and thermal cycling.