One of the least considered hazards of climate change is the increasing frequency of hailstorms and the size and the impact of the pieces of ice they produce. This, in turn, threatens one of the most promising solutions to the climate crisis: solar farms.
In the last year, the number of hailstorms in Europe exceeded 10,000 and the size of large hailstones reported from Italy and Germany increased to 10cm (4in) – enough to dent a car, smash greenhouses and break a solar panel. The frequency of storms and the size of the hail is increasing.
In Texas, where hailstones come even bigger, baseball-sized holes have been knocked in solar panels, causing large-scale damage.
Maintenance of solar panels is minimal, as they have no moving parts, but the threat of hail may cause that to change. Insurance companies are prepared to offer hail cover to solar farms, but only on condition that the panels have a mechanism that can turn them at least 70 degrees to the ground so hail will only strike a glancing blow.
Some newer farms that had already planned a system to turn the panels towards the sun as the day progresses are modifying their operation so panels can be rendered almost upright if a hail warning is issued.