April 7, 2026
kWh Analytics has launched a pilot data sharing program to reward renewable energy sources for efforts to mitigate extreme weather events. The company is expanding its risk modeling capabilities by using data from solar projects that employ advanced resiliency measures that go beyond the information typically captured in standard insurance submissions.
The initial focus of the pilot is to improve the way project-level resilience data is captured and communicated to insurance companies. Advances in tracker technology, including 70+ degree stowage capabilities, automated stowage procedures and the increasing availability of historical stowage performance data, are creating new opportunities to give insurers a clearer understanding of how assets are designed and managed in the run-up to severe weather events.
Nextpower is the first tracker manufacturer to enable the kWh Analytics data sharing program through its NX Horizon tracking system.
“Extreme weather remains a key driver of losses for utility-scale solar, and the industry is making rapid progress in how these risks are managed,” said Jason Kaminsky, CEO of kWh Analytics, a leader in insuring the energy transition through its licensed insurance subsidiary Solar Energy Insurance Services. “By integrating real-world data, including storage performance from Nextpower tracking systems, we can more closely link insurance structures to demonstrated resilience, driving investments that protect assets and strengthen the long-term bankability of solar projects.”
Share real-time data
Modeling these resilient configurations yields substantial reductions in average annual losses and insurance premiums at the portfolio level compared to baseline assumptions and storage protocols. Projects that incorporate additional mitigation measures, including thicker, heat-toughened module glass, further reduce loss profiles.
For solar developer owners enrolled in the collaborative telematics program, Nextpower will share real-time and historical hailstorm performance data, enabling a more dynamic and evidence-based view of project risk. By integrating this operational data into its proprietary risk modeling platform, kWh Analytics can better evaluate how system design and operational readiness impact expected losses. This approach mirrors the use of telematics in the auto insurance industry, where driving behavior data is shared with carriers to better tailor premiums to actual risk.
“By enabling customers to share verified storage performance data from our NX Horizon trackers with Hail Pro technology, we are enabling a shift from modeled assumptions to real-world evidence,” said Jyoti Jain, head of software product management at Next power. “This level of insight allows insurers to reward projects that are truly designed and executed with long-term resilience in mind.”
In the kWh Analytics Solar Risk Assessment 2024Longroad Energy and Nextpower published a case study showing that proactive storage at 75 degrees would have reduced the risk of damage from an actual event in 2022 by 87%, compared to storage at 60 degrees.
The new framework recognizes the growing role of advanced solar tracking systems and site design strategies in fortifying projects against severe weather risks, including high winds, hail and flooding. As extreme weather events become more common in the United States, this approach is intended to better align insurance prices with the technical, technological and operational choices that significantly reduce loss potential and improve the long-term sustainability of assets.
kWh Analytics expects that additional technologies and operational practices will qualify for premium differentiation over time as data quality, verification and modeling continue to improve. The company plans to expand this framework through continued collaboration with industry leaders. While kWh Analytics facilitates the communication of real-time resilience information to the insurance industry, it often sees other insurance companies following suit.
Tags: insurance, kWh Analytics, Nextpower, Solar Trackers, Tracker Systems, utility scale
