Big Interview: kWh Analytics’ Jason Kaminsky on managing risk amid extreme weather events

Full article available on PV Tech

Earlier this year, the Fighting Jays solar project in Texas was battered by “golf ball-sized” hail, an out-of-season weather event that cut into the project’s functionality, and drew attention to the risks associated with developing large-scale solar projects.

While weather damage itself is nothing new in the solar sector – the Fighting Jays incident rekindled questions about the risk of hail damage at solar projects – the widespread surprise at the extent and damage of the hailstorm suggests that this is a risk that has not been fully considered by the solar industry. As the Earth’s climate worsens, out-of-season weather events are more likely to take place, raising the prospect of a greater range of extreme weather incidents that will have to be considered by developers and financiers of solar projects.