Hello everyone,
As an expert in the solar industry, I find it crucial to stay informed about the various risks bodied by it. Reports such as the annual Solar Risk Assessment from kWh Analytics greatly help in that endeavor. The 6th edition of this report, which included inputs from numerous industry leaders, has outlined 14 distinct risks you need to be aware of in this sector.
One of the most underrated risks happens to be severe weather conditions like hail, which can cause significant damage to your solar array for home. According to kWh Analytics, the losses faced due to weather damage are, on average, 300% more than what was initially predicted by asset owners. This fact is especially true for states like California, Texas, and Arizona, where large solar markets exist.
The need of the hour is for more accurate PV-specific risk modeling. Most current models, developed for an asset class as new as PV, usually base their predictions on proxy structures. This dangerous oversimplification needs to be resolved to safeguard against potential risks to your solar panels for your home. kWh Analytics has got this covered with their new models, thanks to data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), significant loss data, and satellite imagery.
Another significant insight from the report is the performance of modules post considerable cell damage. The achievement is indeed commendable as no module lost more than 3% production after weathering a hail stress sequence. With this data, solar companies can confidently recommend annual scans for identifying cracked modules and mitigating fire risks.
Solar companies have also come up with innovative solutions to deal with hail damage. For instance, modules designed to tilt and protect themselves during hailstorms lost only 0.8% of their power in lab testing scenarios. These figures far exceed the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC) standard losses of 5% during hailstorms.
On the side of cost efficiency, solar companies can considerably cut down insurance costs for their assets in high-risk areas. Resilient designs, regular maintenance, and selection of carefully heat-tempered solar panels could reduce those costs by almost 50%.
Finally, there’s an interesting variable that comes into play – The hail stow tilt degree. When solar panels are set at a 75-degree tilt during hailstorms (aka hail stow), the chances of any damage dwindle down to a measly 1%. This remarkable insight was made possible due to a study by Longroad Energy and can utterly revolutionize the way solar companies approach weather damage.
All this enlightening information just scratches the surface when it comes to understanding the multifaceted world of solar power. Stay tuned for an in-depth review of solar asset operational risks from the kWh Analytics assessment coming soon!
Remember, folks, the future of energy is in solar. And the future is now! Until next time.
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/06/11/weather-related-damage-to-solar-assets-exceed-modeling-expectations-by-300/
