Almost two years after REC Solar installed a 5.59 kW solar system on our Aurora, Colo. rooftop, we hit a single-day production milestone of 40 kWh.

We’ve hit 39 kWh at least a dozen times, but May 24, 2012 -- a perfect blue sky day with high temperatures in the upper 60s – finally put us over the 40 kWh threshold :-)

NREL study
According to a study conducted by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), individual solar panel production typically degrades by about 0.7 percent per year.

That our 5.59 kW system hit its highest single day peak production after nearly two years of sitting on our roof is testament to the durability – and the consistent productivity – of solar. Hats off to REC as well, which manufactured the twenty-six 215-watt panels on our roof.

Finally, a call-out to the sun which plays a big role in the slow degradation of solar PV module production: We want as much solar as we can get (we’re averaging about 8,600 kWh per year over our first two years). So, by all means, bring it on, baby!

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