Featured in Wired for Watts – 11-2021

Forecast for foresight, and prosper

At the risk of stating the obvious, PV performance will always be inextricably linked to the weather. Cloud cover significantly influences power output and severe weather events – including high winds, heavy snowfall, fire, and hail – can lead to module or structural damage. And with climate change making extreme weather events more common, the value of forecasting and understanding the worst Mother Nature can throw at a solar array is increasing.

By

Tim Sylvia

02 Nov 2021

Image: Sandia National Laboratories

The list of damages that severe weather can cause at solar projects is long, and there is still much to learn about the extent of such damage. Hail can shatter glass or send shockwaves through a module, causing cell cracking, losses and degradation. High winds can contort ground-mount installations and trackers in particular, straining …

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