July 21, 2022
Patagonia Outlet Rooftop Solar Array - 8 Years Later
By Jordan Freytag
In 2014, Creative Energies installed commercial solar on the west roof of the Patagonia outlet store in Sugarhouse, Utah. In 2022, we thought it was time to revisit one of our favorite commercial solar projects, fly our drone, and get an up-close view to see how the panels were doing.
Even after eight years, the rooftop array looks like it could have been installed yesterday. The system has continued to produce power since the day it was installed. Of course it can be easy to become worried about the state of the panels especially after a significant storm, such as the incredible wind storm that Salt Lake City saw the summer of 2020, ripping whole branches from trees. The folks at Patagonia were thrilled to see the live drone footage displaying the pristine panels catching the late morning sun.
Since we've been installing solar panel systems for over 20 years, we've been asked about the longevity of solar panels, solar panel failure, and damage. While the occasional panel may fail, our installations are meant to stand the test of time and periods of inclement weather. The Patagonia project is a perfect example of how tenacious CE solar panel systems are. This 15 KW system is getting close to middle age but is functioning fluidly as if it were brand new.