Report | 2020

Solar Under Storm

Solar Best Practices for Policymakers and Two-Part Design Guidebook to Fuel Resilient Photovoltaic Systems for Small Island Developing States

By Laurie StoneJustin Locke
Download the report below

Following hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Dorian, RMI and Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) sent teams to the Caribbean to evaluate the root failures of solar PV systems and key success factors of systems that survived. The teams then developed a list of recommendations to increase system resilience. The research and analysis led to the publication of three reports.

Solar Under Storm Part I: Designing Hurricane Resilient PV Systems discusses the root causes of ground-mounted PV system failures from hurricanes and describes recommendations for building more resilient solar PV power plants.

Solar Under Storm Part II: Select Best Practices for Resilient Roof-Mount PV Systems with Hurricane Exposure, developed and written with the Clinton Climate Initiative and FCX Solar, does the same with roof-mounted PV systems. It proves that rooftop solar PV can be made resilient at little additional cost.

Solar Under Storm for Policymakers is a follow-up to the two technical reports and is specifically tailored for policymakers in Small Island Developing States. The report lays out guidelines for governments, regulators, and developers interested in improving solar PV system survivability to intense wind-loading events.

solar panels in storm
The solar array on Atlantic Stone’s roof (FortisTCI’s customer) on Providenciales, Turks & Caicos, survived the wrath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017

View Solar Under Storm: Designing Hurricane-Resilient PV Systems Parts I and II: Best Practices for Solar PV Installations Facing Hurricane-Force Winds along with Solar Under Storm for Policymakers by filling in the download form below .

Read our blog posts on storm survivability for rooftop solar and ground-mounted solar and and on recommendations for policymakers.