Risk of exposure to hail
Image: Fema
Soltec, a Spain-based provider of solar tracking solutions, has released a new one hail defense algorithm to limit damage to solar installations.
Hailstorms, which are often unpredictable in nature and destructive to solar panels, pose a challenge to solar infrastructure. In 2021, hail-related losses in the United States exceeded $1 billion.
a pv magazine USA webinar The session found that mitigating hail risk is a common problem in “Hail Alley,” a broad region encompassing about six states from the Dakotas to Texas that often experience catastrophic hail five or more days a year. Climate change has led to patterns of irregularities, as extreme weather increasingly occurs in regions bordering hail-prone regions.
Research by Soltec shows that the risk of module damage as a result of hail impacts is usually due to the direct and perpendicular impact of hailstones on the front glass of the module.
The company introduced its Hail algorithm, which combines prediction and detection to angle the panels into a stowed position and protect them from direct impacts to the front of the module. Stored solar panels are angled at a steep angle when a hail event is predicted or detected, leading to a lower risk of damage.
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