DNV has launched a new service to provide solar PV developers with actionable, verified assessments of major hail risk in North America. DNV is working with climate risk analysis firm Jupiter Intelligence to leverage its climate science to provide a robust statistical approach to evaluating hail risk from climate change, both today and in the future.
Extreme hail events have caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to solar PV projects across North America, even in areas historically less prone to hailstorms. It is estimated that Texas alone has suffered more than $600 million in hail damage over the past two to three years. The increase in resulting damage, as well as new uncertainty over hail-prone areas, has accelerated changes in insurance policies and threatens the financial viability of solar projects in these regions.
A leading scientific position Expect the severity of hailstorms to increase as climate change continues. Relying on historical data no longer provides an accurate assessment of hail risk, especially when it comes to hail size and location of hailstorms. Recent research on hail patterns indicates that severe hail events have been shifting northward in recent decades in the central and eastern United States, areas with a high density of installed solar energy. DNV’s new service aims to help the solar industry understand actual hail risk now and over the life of projects, up to 30 years into the future. It provides the probability of a hail event for a specific location in the contiguous United States, as well as the probability of the size of the hail itself, allowing project owners and developers to better anticipate and mitigate risks to their projects.
“Ironically, solar energy development is now threatened by the very thing it is intended to mitigate – climate change – by enabling a transition to clean energy generation,” said Richard S. Barnes, regional president, energy systems North America, at DNV. “Understanding and mitigating the risks of hailstorms through both technical and financial means will enable the solar industry to continue its current trajectory and take its place as a major energy source in the future.”
By providing accurate, forward-looking data, DNV’s new service enables solar developers and project owners to make informed decisions that protect their investments and ensure long-term viability. As the industry faces the dual challenge of accelerating clean energy deployment while adapting to the climate changes it seeks to combat, DNV’s research-backed approach offers a path forward: strengthening resilience and securing the role of solar energy as the cornerstone of our sustainable energy future.
News item from DNV
