Solar Panels withstand Harsh Minnesota Weather
Remember the Minnesota classic home-made “Winter Emergency Kit” in a coffee can meant for the trunk of your car….stocked with sand, flashlight, flares and beef jerky….well, Minnesotans pride ourselves on being prepared for the seasons. So, when considering solar panels for electricity production that will be installed on your roof, one of your first questions may be…what about typical Minnesota changing weather, even hail….how could weather affect my solar panels, their energy production and my solar panel investment?
Your question is spot on. And the results are in. The general consensus in the solar regulations industry is that solar panels must withstand golf ball sized hail. Additionally, hail testing is mandatory under American and international PV standards.
To receive the proper certification for solar panel installation, solar panel manufacturers test their products to ensure that they are capable of withstanding hailstorms.Internationally, extensive research has gone into the design of weather and hail resistant solar panels to withstand harsh weather and hail impacts. And as wind, snow, rain and hail continues to cycle with no sign of decreasing, higher grade solar panels including manufacturers such as Silfab and Solaria have been designed and built to withstand hailstones that are up to 1 inch in diameter, traveling at a velocity of 23 meters per second (51.45 mph) per international standards. Most industry leading solar panel manufacturers provide 25-year product workmanship and 30-year performance warranties to consumers.
This resistance of solar panels to hail is largely due to the high-quality outermost layer of the solar panel which is made of tempered glass which is 3-4mm thick. The solar cells (which are the silicon that convert sunlight to direct current) are then protected in this sandwich of encapsulant, resting under the top layer of tempered glass and housed within a sturdy aluminum frame.
Also, due to the tilted angles of standard solar PV installations, most hail impacts are just glancing blows. And, due to the general Southern facing direction of Minnesota solar panels, when snow collects on a solar array, there is no need to shovel it as the snow will melt and slide off.Homeowners can further protect their solar panels by removing any debris such as branches or leaves that may collect, or hire an occasional professional solar panel cleaning.
Because a solar energy system is installed onto your home’s roof, we recommend contacting your homeowner’s insurance company to notify them about your installation. In conclusion, snow and hail may be impressive physical forces, but solar panels are strong.
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Today’s solar panels are designed and tested to withstand harsh impactful North American Minnesota weather. Minnesota hardy!
REFERENCES:NRELhttps://www.nrel.gov/news/features/2015/16488.html
XION POWERhttps://www.axionpower.com/…/solar-panel-hail-protection