High wind speeds are a major concern for many homeowners who want to install solar panels on their roofs because they can cause damage to both people and property.
How does wind affect solar panels?
When the wind blows across a roof with solar panels, it passes through the small gap that typically exists between the panels and the roof (or between your panels and the ground in the case of ground-mounted systems), causing a large amount of uplift to the panels.
In the most extreme cases, solar panels may stay anchored down, but uplift from strong winds can tear sections of your roof off. Cases like these show that a well-built solar racking system may be more resistant to high winds than your roof itself. Another potential source of panel damage during wind storms is flying debris.
Will my solar energy system hold up during a storm?
If you live in a windy area of the country, it is especially important to know how your solar energy system will hold up during a storm. Generally, solar panels are highly resistant to damage from windy conditions. Most in the EnergySage panel database are rated to withstand significant pressure, specifically from wind (and hail!)
Can solar panels withstand wind?
The weakest link for the wind resistance of a solar panel system is rarely the panels themselves – in most instances where wind causes damage to a solar array, failures occur due to weaknesses in the racking system or the roof the panels are affixed to.
This phenomenon can tear panels from their mounts or the mounts from the roof or ground. In the most extreme cases, solar panels may stay anchored down, but uplift from strong winds can tear sections of your roof off. Cases like these show that a well-built solar racking system may be more resistant to high winds than your roof itself.
Can a solar PV system be made more resilient to severe weather events?
On-site solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can be made more resilient to severe weather events by leveraging lessons learned from field examinations of weather-damaged PV systems and from engineering guidance resources. Total array loss from Hurricane Maria. Photo from Gerald Robinson, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. August 2020 Derecho event.