Storm destroys largest floating solar farm...

[Leo123]

I assumed a solar farm would survive a hail storm without any problems. Hail storms are not unusual events.

Lots of people have solar panels on their roofs. Will they be destroyed in a hail storm? If so, I don’t want solar panels on my roof unless they are warrantied against high wind and hail storms.

I wonder if this is in some way caused by our current “woke” college system.

I live where there can be snow accumulations of 2 feet or more. Not sure how well roof panels would work. I think not very well.

 

[Batcat]

I live where there can be snow accumulations of 2 feet or more. Not sure how well roof panels would work. I think not very well.

I grew up in the snow belt in Ohio near Lake Erie. I am glad I moved to Florida after my tour of duty in the military.

 

[Batcat]

This was in fucking India, I do not think our woke college system is a problem there.

Do you people never read anything?

The size of the hail is what makes the difference not what nation the solar panel is located in. There are also other weather factors that can cause problems on solar farms.

Can Hail Damage Solar Panels? Everything You Need To Know - Today's Homeowner

Solar panels are pretty tough, made to withstand the outdoors. But can your solar panels handle extreme weather events like hail?

todayshomeowner.com

Hidden factors that affect solar farms during severe weather

Researchers combined large sets of real-world solar data and advanced machine learning to study the impacts of severe weather on U.S. solar farms, and sort out what factors affect energy generation.

www.sciencedaily.com

Hail Damage Mitigation for Solar Photovoltaic Systems​

Federal Energy Management Program

https://www.energy.gov/femp/hail-damage-mitigation-solar-photovoltaic-systems

 

[Harpy Eagle]

The size of the hail is what makes the difference not what nation the solar panel is located in. There are also other weather factors that can cause problems on solar farms.

Can Hail Damage Solar Panels? Everything You Need To Know - Today's Homeowner

Solar panels are pretty tough, made to withstand the outdoors. But can your solar panels handle extreme weather events like hail?

todayshomeowner.com

Hidden factors that affect solar farms during severe weather

Researchers combined large sets of real-world solar data and advanced machine learning to study the impacts of severe weather on U.S. solar farms, and sort out what factors affect energy generation.

www.sciencedaily.com

Hail Damage Mitigation for Solar Photovoltaic Systems​

Federal Energy Management Program

https://www.energy.gov/femp/hail-damage-mitigation-solar-photovoltaic-systems

What does hail and the "woke college system" have to do with each other?

Did you even read the article in the OP? It was not hail that damaged these, it was a storm on the water that caused them to crash together.

 

[Batcat]

What does hail and the "woke college system" have to do with each other?

Did you even read the article in the OP? It was not hail that damaged these, it was a storm on the water that caused them to crash together.

In post #3 a hail storm in Texas is mentioned.

I assumed the engineers who designed these solar farms would take in account the possible damage from hail. Perhaps today engineers are taught more about “woke” philosophy in college and less about real engineering.

Texas hailstorm damages thousands of solar panels at 350-MW farm

"Golfball-sized" hail fell in Fort Bend County, TX on March 15, and helicopter footage offers a glimpse at the extent of the damage.

www.renewableenergyworld.com

snip

Hail is becoming a prominent issue for the PV industry as more sites are being built in the central U.S. — a hail-prone region — and modules are moving towards larger formats with thinner glass. To mitigate the damage that hail can cause, moving panels into hail stow is an effective technique. However, since it requires moving the panels out of the optimal production angle, there is concern that utilizing hail stow will lead to a material loss of revenue.

snip


Last year, GCube Insurance (GCube), an underwriter for renewable energy, released a report stating that the solar industry needs to confront the escalating frequency and severity of hailstorms with pragmatic, low-cost solutions.

The report, Hail No! Defending Solar from Nature’s Cold Assault, was based on data collected by GCube over five years. It shows that hail claims now average around $58.4 million per claim and account for 54.21% of incurred costs of total solar loss claims attributable to hail. This creates a gap between the insurance requirements for solar projects and what is available in the market, leading to project delays and cancellations.

The report identifies several key factors contributing to solar project vulnerability, including inadequate hail risk models, ineffective mitigation strategies, limited and costly insurance coverage, and an uncertain funding landscape.

It also highlights how solar manufacturers, in their pursuit of reducing the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE), have introduced larger solar panels with thinner, more fragile glass and have chosen locations more susceptible to hail risk, threatening the financial viability of future projects.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

In post #3 a hail storm in Texas is mentioned.

I assumed the engineers who designed these solar farms would take in account the possible damage from hail. Perhaps today engineers are taught more about “woke” philosophy in college and less about real engineering.

People that design roofs for houses and that design cars and all sorts of things take in to account the possible damage from hail...but sometimes mother nature just wins anyhow.

 

[Batcat]

People that design roofs for houses and that design cars and all sorts of things take in to account the possible damage from hail...but sometimes mother nature just wins anyhow.

Hopefully home owner’s insurance would cover the replacement.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Hopefully home owner’s insurance would cover the replacement.

why would they need to if the engineers just made them 100% hail proof no matter how much or how big. How hard could that be?

 

[Batcat]

why would they need to if the engineers just made them 100% hail proof no matter how much or how big. How hard could that be?

I thought solar panels would basically be able to stand up to hail but apparently they can’t stand up to all hail storms.

What You Need To Know About Solar Power Hail Damage

Hail can damage solar panels and reduce system performance. Learn how you can protect your solar panels from hail damage today.

www.solarreviews.com

 

[GLASNOST]

Storm destroys largest floating solar farm...​

They need to replace it with water turbines.

 

[westwall]

The water behind the dam was not being used for anything, and this reduces evaporation as well.

Then why have the dam?

Dams store water, ergo, the water is used.

There are some designs of these that do indeed reduce evaporation, however, plastic balls do a better job, are orders of magnitude cheaper, don't risk toxic contamination of the water, and if a storm occurs, they are easily pushed back in to position.

 

[westwall]

I thought solar panels would basically be able to stand up to hail but apparently they can’t stand up to all hail storms.

What You Need To Know About Solar Power Hail Damage

Hail can damage solar panels and reduce system performance. Learn how you can protect your solar panels from hail damage today.

www.solarreviews.com

No, if it's small hail, they will do fine. My panels have dealt with quite a few hail storms.

But big ones, like you get in the middle of the country, will obliterate them.

 

[westwall]

why would they need to if the engineers just made them 100% hail proof no matter how much or how big. How hard could that be?

Very. And very costly as well. To make a panel hail proof you either thicken the glass, which adds weight, and decreases efficiency, or you use a lexan equivalent, which, once again adds weight and decreases efficiency.

Add to that the increased bracing necessary to support the new and improved panels, and the cost rises yet again.

So much for your payback time.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Then why have the dam?

To produce electricity.

There are some designs of these that do indeed reduce evaporation, however, plastic balls do a better job, are orders of magnitude cheaper, don't risk toxic contamination of the water, and if a storm occurs, they are easily pushed back in to position.

None of those produce added power the way a solar farm does.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Very. And very costly as well. To make a panel hail proof you either thicken the glass, which adds weight, and decreases efficiency, or you use a lexan equivalent, which, once again adds weight and decreases efficiency.

Add to that the increased bracing necessary to support the new and improved panels, and the cost rises yet again.

So much for your payback time.

Thanks for proving my point.

 

[westwall]

To produce electricity.



None of those produce added power the way a solar farm does.

So, you add all of that expense and risk when you could much more easily build the solar farm on land.

Yeah.....that makes no sense at all. But then I don't expect much logic from you.

 

[westwall]

Thanks for proving my point.

Oh? What point was that?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

So, you add all of that expense and risk when you could much more easily build the solar farm on land.

Yeah.....that makes no sense at all. But then I don't expect much logic from you.

The government of the country of India do not agree with you, take it up with them, I am merely reporting that facts.

Oh? What point was that?

That hail damaging a solar panel was not the sign it was a poor design due to DEI.

I cannot recall if I asked or not, but are you panels on your roof or on the ground?

 

[westwall]

The government of the country of India do not agree with you, take it up with them, I am merely reporting that facts.



That hail damaging a solar panel was not the sign it was a poor design due to DEI.

I cannot recall if I asked or not, but are you panels on your roof or on the ground?

I have done business with India. Clearly you haven't. They are corrupt to the core, they just aren't as good at hiding it as our political class was.

My panels are ground mounted.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

I have done business with India.

My panels are ground mounted.

Good deal, that seems to be the best way.