Climate change is increasing both the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events around the world, creating challenges for many forms of infrastructure, including solar farms. In recent years, several highly publicized weather-related incidents have led critics to question whether solar energy is resilient enough to play a major role in future energy systems. Images of damaged solar panels following storms and hail events have often been used as evidence that solar technology is too fragile to be relied upon. However, a closer examination of the available data suggests that these concerns are often exaggerated and do not reflect the overall performance of solar energy systems.
Looking Beyond the Claims
One of the most widely discussed examples occurred in March 2023, when a severe hailstorm struck the 350MW Fighting Jays solar project in southeast Texas. The storm destroyed a significant portion of the facility, and photographs of shattered solar panels quickly spread across social media and news outlets. Critics of renewable energy pointed to the event as proof that solar power is vulnerable to extreme weather.
A similar debate emerged in the United Kingdom after Storm Darragh damaged EDF’s 49.99MW Porth Wen solar farm on Anglesey, Wales, in 2024. Media reports emphasized the extent of the destruction, with some suggesting that hundreds of panels had been torn from their mounts and rendered unusable. These incidents reinforced public perceptions that solar farms may be particularly susceptible to severe weather.
Low performance loss
Despite these high-profile cases, research indicates that the overall impact of extreme weather on solar power generation is relatively small. A study conducted by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) examined data from approximately 6,400 solar projects between 2008 and 2022. The findings showed that the median outage caused by an extreme weather event lasted only two to four days. On average, these disruptions resulted in a median annual performance loss of just 1%. Furthermore, only 12 of the 6,400 projects studied—less than 0.2%—experienced outages lasting two weeks or longer because of extreme weather.
The NREL study did find that solar systems become more vulnerable when weather conditions exceed certain thresholds. Significant impacts were associated with hailstones larger than 0.98 inches in diameter, wind speeds exceeding 56 miles per hour, and snow depths greater than 3.28 feet. However, researchers emphasized that these findings should not be interpreted as evidence that solar power systems are unreliable. According to NREL researcher Dirk Jordan, solar installations have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to keep power available when surrounding infrastructure is damaged during extreme weather events.
“We found indeed that most systems produced within 10 percent of expected results,” said Dirk Jordan, a researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. “We don’t feel any of this analysis suggests that PV systems are unreliable or especially vulnerable to extreme weather.”
Jordan told Punch Newspapers that solar power has proven its value during crises. “PV has demonstrated that it can provide backup power and save lives when surrounding infrastructure is damaged by extreme weather events. Yet, there are further measures we can take to improve the quality of equipment and especially installation best practices to increase resilience to these weather events,” he said.
Moving forward
The solar industry is actively developing technologies to improve resilience. One important innovation is the use of automated “stowing” systems, which reposition solar panels when severe weather is forecast. By adjusting panel angles to reduce exposure to hail, wind, or other hazards, operators can significantly limit damage. Case studies from Texas showed that solar sites using these systems experienced much lower levels of damage during hailstorms. Research by engineering firm VDE Americas concluded that increasing the stow angle from 60 degrees to 75 degrees could reduce hail-related damage to nearly zero.
These protective technologies can also help defend against hurricanes, strong winds, flooding, heavy snowfall, and extreme temperatures. As a result, while extreme weather does pose risks to solar farms, evidence suggests that the current impacts are generally limited and increasingly manageable through improved design, installation practices, and weather-responsive technologies. Overall, solar energy remains a reliable and resilient source of power despite the growing challenges posed by climate change.
Renee Zachar
Guest Writer
In her downtime, Renee researches solar energy, agrivoltaics, energy policy, and emerging technologies in the renewable energy industry. She is fascinated by the resources these technologies provide for the health and longevity of our planet and enjoys sharing what she finds with others.