Natural Catastrophic Risks – best practice for solar PV projects

RCG attended and presented at Solar Power International and Energy Storage International, September 23-26, in Salt Lake City, UT, United States – part of the North America Smart Energy Week. The event was hosted by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) and was one of the largest energy trade shows in North America. The event allowed attendees to hear the latest trends and policy updates that are impacting the US market, as well as providing opportunities to network with key players in the industry – over 19,000 energy professionals attended.

The presentation noted that approximately 50% of solar PV insurance claims are caused by weather related events. Catastrophes are becoming more intense, frequent and destructive due to climate change; storm events are increasing in frequency and severity, the number and areal extent of wildfires is increasing, maximum ambient temperatures (heatwaves) are increasing. It concludes that when high risk areas cannot be avoided, adequate mitigations should be applied to reduce possible damage.