Resilience of Solar Power Systems in Extreme Weather Conditions

Resilience of Photovoltaics in Extreme Weather Conditions

Global climate change is reshaping the Earth’s ecosystem at an unprecedented pace. According to recent data from the World Meteorological Organization, the average global temperature in 2024 is 1.55 degrees Celsius higher than the average temperatures recorded between 1850 and 1900, surpassing the previous record set in 2023. While only a few regions saw a drop in average temperatures last year, extreme weather events have caused severe damage worldwide.

Photovoltaic (PV) systems now face challenges from hail, gusty winds, and other extreme weather phenomena. In response, PV companies are building robust defense systems. Recently, Trina Solar unveiled its extreme weather solutions aimed at maximizing the protection of PV assets against hail, strong winds, and heavy snowfall. Zhang Yingbin, the head of strategy, products, and markets at Trina Solar, believes that the future development of the PV industry needs to transition from a manufacturing mindset to a systems approach, moving from singularity to systemic thinking. Achieving differentiated development through innovative models is crucial for breaking away from intense competition and enhancing value.

From Passive Response to Proactive Strategies

In 2024, the global installed capacity of PV systems is expected to increase by approximately 530 gigawatts, with centralized PV continuing to be the major contributor. In China, the newly installed capacity for centralized PV reached 159.39 gigawatts last year, accounting for 57.4% of the total. Centralized PV systems, due to their large scale and land requirements, are significantly impacted by extreme weather conditions. Data from GCube Insurance, a renewable energy insurance provider, revealed that between 2018 and 2023, climate-related claims surged by 280% for clean energy projects across 40 countries, with over 100 gigawatts of installed capacity. Hail accounted for 54% of these claims, followed by strong winds and heavy snowfall at 23% and 15%, respectively. Traditional PV products are increasingly unable to cope with the new climate norms.

Recent monitoring indicates that regions with large-scale PV installations, such as the North American Great Plains, frequently experience super hailstones exceeding 40 millimeters in diameter and reaching speeds above 30 meters per second. Notably, about 70% of damaged PV modules were hit by hail larger than 30 millimeters, a size that has become three times more likely to occur compared to ten years ago. Climate risks are reshaping the global PV landscape, with different regions facing various extreme weather challenges: the humid environment of the Brazilian rainforest, the freeze-thaw cycles in Northern Europe, salt mist corrosion in Australia, heavy snow in the Arctic Circle, and sandstorm risks in Middle Eastern deserts.

Zhang Yingbin noted, “The application of PV power generation is becoming increasingly universal across the globe. However, countries and regions at different latitudes face different extreme weather hazards. Ordinary PV modules suffer significant wear and tear, and PV assets are more susceptible to damage in the face of hail, snowstorms, and typhoons.” He further stated, “In the past, the PV industry passively selected locations and installations based on climate conditions, avoiding areas prone to heavy snowfall and hail. If we can address the challenges posed by extreme weather, we can actively choose locations and installations, further expanding the potential space for PV power plants.” With the rising global demand for green electricity, remote areas, and regions prone to typhoons and hailstorms have a clear demand for PV installations. Given the increasing severity of extreme weather events, appropriate responses and solutions are essential.

To this end, Zhang Yingbin proposed that under a scenario-oriented development approach, the PV industry is undergoing a comprehensive transformation towards solutions. When a single product cannot meet new environmental conditions, there is a need for upgrades at higher levels, including company strategies and solution frameworks.

Innovative Components and Intelligent Tracking Systems

How can system thinking enhance the safety levels of large-scale centralized PV projects? Zhang Yingbin explained, “We are addressing extreme weather through a dual-core drive of advanced components and intelligent tracking systems.” The first component of this dual approach is hardware. PV brackets serve as the “skeleton” of the PV system, while PV modules act as the “skin.” Like human skin, PV modules are precision devices that sense light, absorb energy, and protect against environmental erosion. It is vital to ensure the durability of these “energy generation organs.” “We have reinforced the thickness of the glass and the design of the frames; the thickness of the glass has increased by 25%, and its resistance to energy impacts has improved by 2.5 times compared to traditional models, significantly enhancing the mechanical load performance of PV modules against extreme weather,” Zhang Yingbin stated.

Moreover, intelligent tracking systems and robust algorithms are essential. Trina Solar’s intelligent tracking system features the industry’s first smart cloud at the bracket level, equipped with self-developed controllers TCUs and NCUs, integrating various extreme weather protection strategies. Utilizing data from the smart cloud platform, the system enables intelligent automatic protection for power plants. Zhang Yingbin elaborated, “Simply put, our solution includes sensors that monitor wind speed in real-time and apply relevant strategies accordingly. During different wind seasons, the angle of the PV modules can be adjusted to align with the wind, significantly reducing the impact force on the modules.”

He added, “When heavy snowfall occurs, snow accumulation on PV module surfaces may prevent electricity generation. This is especially problematic during long snow periods, which could result in the inability to generate power throughout the winter. Typically, maintenance personnel are required to clear the snow, leading to high labor and time costs. Our sensors measure the thickness of the snow and upload the data to the platform. When the thickness reaches a certain level, maintenance personnel can simply press a button to adjust the angle of the PV modules for one-click snow removal, ensuring power generation.”

Simulated testing shows that at a 100-megawatt large-scale centralized PV power plant in Texas, damage rates for traditional products approach 100% when hail reaches 65 millimeters in size. In contrast, the extreme weather solution can withstand hailstones up to 55 millimeters, and at a 60-degree tilt, it can resist hailstones up to 75 millimeters, potentially reducing annual PV asset losses by up to 94%. This extreme weather solution follows Trina Solar’s release of its Shago Desert Base solution, further enhancing its scenario-based offerings.

Zhang Yingbin emphasized that Trina Solar remains customer-centric and scenario-oriented, moving towards a comprehensive solution strategy. “In response to the strong demand for electricity and zero-carbon power, we aim to develop a new integrated framework encompassing product solutions, system solutions, overall solutions, and smart energy solutions, consolidating hardware and software products, systems, services, and business models to create a green, low-carbon energy supply system for end users.”