How Extreme Weather & System Aging Affect the US Solar Photovoltaic Fleet
Main Ideas:
- A massive data set of photovoltaic (PV) system performance in the United States has revealed the impacts of extreme weather and long-term degradation on the solar PV fleet.
- The study found that extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, heatwaves, and heavy precipitation, can have small but significant impacts on the performance of PV systems.
- Long-term degradation, which occurs as PV systems age over time, was also found to have a noticeable effect on system performance.
- The researchers analyzed more than 39,000 PV systems across diverse climates and found that extreme weather events can decrease PV system performance by up to 7%, while long-term degradation can lead to an average decline of 1.5% per year.
- Understanding these impacts is crucial for improving the resilience and efficiency of the US solar PV fleet.
Author’s Take:
A comprehensive analysis of a large data set on the performance of solar photovoltaic systems in the United States reveals that extreme weather events and system aging have noticeable impacts on their efficiency. The study, which examined over 39,000 PV systems, found that hurricanes, heatwaves, heavy precipitation, and long-term degradation can all affect system performance. This research highlights the importance of understanding and mitigating these impacts to improve the resilience and efficiency of the US solar PV fleet.