Measuring the Real Impact of Hail on PV Modules
Hail is becoming a bigger financial risk for insurers, and they're not covering all the damage. As glass gets thinner and storms get worse, solar asset owner...
Webinar: Can your solar project weather a hailstorm?
Hail is becoming a bigger financial risk for insurers, and they’re not covering all the damage. As glass gets thinner and storms get worse, solar asset owners need to take notice.
Virtually all solar module manufacturers use glass for the top surface of the panel and they all pass the same damage tests, yet hail damages more and more solar modules every year. The problem is only set to get worse with the industry trending toward thinner glass and very severe hail above standard testing size becoming more common across the central U.S.
In this webinar, we will discuss the technological and meteorological trends that are leading to more frequent, severe and destructive hailstorms, as well as how projects are traditionally insured against hail-related damages. Presenters Paul Wormser, Sara Kane and John Sedgwick will cover the advancements made to create a product with this level of design and monitoring ease.
Topic include:
Trends in the weather and the solar industry that are increasing damage from severe hailstorms, particularly across certain areas in Middle America.
An overview on how the IEC tests modules for their ability to withstand hail damage, and the limitations of these tests in addressing severe hail.
The extent to which insurance covers – or doesn’t cover – hail damage, and rising premiums in this area.
Factors for asset owners to weigh in deciding whether to invest in tilting trackers, heavier-duty modules, more insurance, or simply shoulder the increased risk.
Q&A.
In this Heatmap Labs webinar, panelists explore the state of U.S. battery manufacturing, the effects of tariffs and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, and trends in battery storage markets.
This article explores a thermal event inspection carried out by Clean Energy Associates (CEA) at a rooftop solar PV installation. CEA found the access to the roof was unsecured that allowed unauthorized cleaning of the site prior to the start of the investigation.
This pv magazine webinar addresses the quality risks U.S. solar module buyers face due to increased warehousing and the emergence of new manufacturing facilities.
In this PV Magazine article, CEA's Senior Engineering Manager Claire Kearns McCoy explains how improper handling, stacking, and storage can cause long-term damage to warehouse-stored solar panels.
As pv magazine test settles into its new home in Yinchuan, China, George Touloupas, Vice President for ESG and New Services at Clean Energy Associates, analyzes the first set of monthly outdoor results.
George Touloupas, Vice President, ESG and New Services at Clean Energy Associates, and Huatian Xu, Director of Technology and Quality at CEA, introduce the new “pv magazine test 2.0” setup to assess PV modules in the lab and outdoors.
George Touloupas, Senior Director of Technology and Quality for Clean Energy Associates (CEA), analyzes the November and December 2024 energy-yield results from the outdoor testing field in Xi’an, China.
In this Energy Storage News article, Aaron Marks, CEA’s Energy Storage Market Intelligence Consultant, examines Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) safety considerations and concerns in the aftermath of the Moss Landing fire.
George Touloupas, CEA’s Senior Director of Technology and Quality, and Huatian Xu, CEA’s Associate Director of Technology and Quality, present a summary of the 2024 pv magazine test results, the ranking throughout the year, and the trends that emerge.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and evolving regulations have reshaped U.S. PV module manufacturing, creating challenges for domestic content compliance. This report outlines key strategies to maximize benefits under current U.S. supply chain regulations and incentives.