As extreme weather intensifies worldwide, the relationship between solar panels and climate is reshaping how photovoltaic systems are designed, insured, and operated.
Solar panels and climate at the center of photovoltaic risk analysis
Solar panels and climate have officially become a central issue in the technical and industrial analysis of photovoltaics, according to a new report released by IEA PVPS Task 13, titled Operational and Economic Impacts of Extreme Weather on PV Power Plants.
Developed with contributions from researchers and industry professionals across five continents, the report systematically examines how the rising frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are affecting the operational performance and economic costs of solar power plants.
The study directly links the rapid expansion of photovoltaics with increasing climate risks. By 2024, global installed solar capacity had reached 2 terawatts across six continents, with projections pointing to 8 terawatts by 2030.
Which extreme weather events affect solar panels the most
The report identifies seven main categories of extreme weather events relevant to photovoltaics: tropical cyclones, convective storms and hail, heavy snowfall, sand and dust storms, heatwaves, flooding, and wildfires.
These events fall into two broad groups. Some are sporadic but potentially catastrophic, such as cyclones and severe hailstorms. Others are repetitive and cumulative, including extreme heat, dust accumulation, and snow loads.
From an impact perspective, the report clearly distinguishes between acute damage, causing immediate failures of modules and structures, and chronic damage, less visible but responsible for accelerating performance degradation over time. This distinction is critical to understanding how solar panels and climate interact not only through sudden risks, but also through gradual loss of efficiency.
How vulnerable are solar panels to climate stress
One of the report’s key findings is that most photovoltaic plants are structurally robust when properly sited, designed, and maintained.
However, case studies show that damage not immediately visible, such as microcracks in modules or mechanical stress on support structures, can lead to significant production losses over the medium term.
IEA PVPS highlights that the economic costs of extreme weather events extend beyond replacing damaged components. Operational downtime, reduced energy output, and increased corrective maintenance all contribute to the financial impact. In this context, the link between solar panels and climate is as much economic as it is technical.
When hail becomes an economic event
Among the hazards analyzed, hailstorms stand out for their ability to generate high insured losses and both visible and hidden damage. One case cited is Pecos County, Texas, where hail in May 2019 struck the 182 MW Midway Solar plant. According to insurance reports referenced in the study, more than 400,000 modules were damaged across a 600-hectare site, with insured losses estimated between $70 million and $80 million. Following that event, insurance premiums in the region reportedly increased by up to 400 percent.
European examples are also included. In Switzerland, between June and July 2021, hailstones reaching up to 9 cm were recorded. The report estimates that around 15 percent of PV systems were located in areas exposed to hailstones larger than 5 cm. Expected damage begins above 4 cm, with a sharp increase beyond 5 cm.
Electroluminescence images of approximately 6,000 modules across 411 systems revealed significant cracks in 57 percent of the modules analyzed. In the United States, the 2022 hail season in Texas was associated with estimated cumulative damages of $300 million, affecting four plants ranging from 347 MW to 500 MW, with hail sizes between 6 and 9 cm.
Why trackers can fail below 100 km per hour winds
The report devotes substantial attention to wind-related damage, distinguishing between tornadoes and straight-line winds associated with convective storms. Tornadoes can reach speeds between 160 and 480 km per hour and can destroy any installation in their path, but they are typically rare and localized.
More problematic in terms of frequency and observed damage are straight-line winds in the 80 to 100 km per hour range. Despite being below typical design thresholds, such winds have damaged both fixed-tilt systems and trackers in multiple cases.
One emblematic example is Darling Downs in Queensland, where a seasonal storm in October 2018 damaged trackers supporting around 2,000 modules at the 55 MW Oakey 2 project. Recorded gusts reached 74 km per hour, yet the damage was consistent with torsional galloping instabilities, which can occur even at relatively moderate wind speeds.
How heatwaves affect solar panel performance
For extreme heat, the report draws on experimental data from a site in the Negev desert, where average annual irradiation is about 2,276 kWh per square meter. The average ambient temperature is 20.4°C, while actual module temperatures reach 35.4°C, with average wind speeds of 2.0 m/s and relative humidity of 13 percent at 47°C.
Record-breaking heatwaves in the area are reported every two to four years, including 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2021. During a specific event from May 14 to May 22, 2020, temperatures reached 40 to 43°C. In that period, a reference module showed a 12.5 W reduction in maximum power point, equivalent to a 9.8 percent drop.
More broadly, photovoltaic output declines linearly as temperatures rise above 25°C. Beyond immediate losses, high temperatures are linked to accelerated degradation. Degradation rates can reach up to 0.8 percent per year in the hottest parts of Europe, such as southern Spain and Portugal, and up to 1.4 percent per year globally in regions near the equator.
In arid climates, the estimated annual degradation rate is 0.74 percent, corresponding to roughly 21.4 years of operation to reach 80 percent of initial performance.
Why climate risk assessment is becoming decisive
According to IEA PVPS, climate risk assessment is the first essential step in designing a photovoltaic plant. The report stresses the importance of analyzing local historical weather data and the probability of future extreme events during the project development phase.
Only after defining the site’s risk profile can informed decisions be made regarding plant layout, material selection, module type, and anchoring solutions. Particular attention is paid to geological and topographical conditions. On sloped sites, for example, foundations must include specific measures to prevent landslides during extreme rainfall or cyclones.
Resilience, the report makes clear, is not an optional feature but a structural component of the relationship between solar panels and climate.
How to reduce climate impacts on solar panels
From a design perspective, IEA emphasizes the use of certified components compliant with relevant standards, particularly modules designed to withstand hail events.
Support structures and tracking systems should also undergo careful evaluation, ideally through independent mechanical design reviews. Inappropriate design choices can amplify the effects of extreme weather, turning an intense but manageable event into a highly damaging one. In this sense, solar panels and climate become an issue of integration between engineering, risk analysis, and local environmental knowledge.
Operational data and the solar panels and climate relationship
Another central theme is performance data management. IEA PVPS recommends carefully preserving commissioning documents, production data, electroluminescence images, infrared thermography, and the results of visual inspections and electrical measurements.
These records provide the baseline needed to assess performance deterioration after extreme weather events. When production data are combined with meteorological information such as temperature, irradiation, and wind, they become essential tools for identifying climate-related damage and estimating accelerated degradation. The report highlights a growing need for awareness among owners and operators of the strategic value of data in managing the solar panels and climate relationship.
Preventive and corrective maintenance recommendations
The report devotes significant attention to operation and maintenance strategies. Preventive maintenance, calibrated to site-specific climate risks, is considered essential.
Before events such as tropical cyclones, targeted actions are recommended, including checking component fastening and removing potentially hazardous debris. When damage occurs, corrective maintenance must be swift but structured, securing the site, conducting electrical and mechanical inspections, and fully replacing damaged components before recommissioning.
Unresolved defects after an extreme event tend to worsen over time, especially under continued environmental stress. In this respect as well, managing the link between solar panels and climate directly affects the long-term reliability of photovoltaic plants.
