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Extreme Hail Storms Are Wrecking Solar Farms—but Defending Them May Be Easier Than It Seems


Climate change is making hail storms more intense, so designers have to find novel solutions to protect panels from expensive damage.

Images circulated on social media and in news coverage of thousands of panels pockmarked with white circles of broken glass. Solar developers and manufacturers have taken steps to reduce the risk from hailstorms, which involves a combination of sophisticated weather forecasting and panels that can turn to avoid direct hits. For example, Nextracker, the California-based manufacturer of solar tracking systems, sells a hail mitigation product that connects weather forecasts from DTN and others, and uses the data to adjust panel angles ahead of hailstorms.

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