Giant hail hammers QLD as solar industry turns to new tech
Giant hailstones up to 9cm smashed parts of south-east Queensland, wrecking rooftop solar arrays and exposing how vulnerable solar farms are to extreme weather.
The storms have pushed hail resistance to the top of insurers’ risk lists as hailstones grow bigger and more frequent.
Trina Solar’s Andrew Percival says insurers now want tougher panel standards, with some storms exceeding Australia’s 35mm test limit.
Trina’s new “Shield” panels, paired with smart trackers that tilt into protection mode, can withstand hail up to 55mm wide.
Insurers are moving to shape new testing standards with regulators to better prepare the solar sector for extreme weather.
US tracker firm Array is pitching automated systems that tilt panels to near-vertical angles when hail is detected, cutting damage risk.
Flow Power is already using anti-hail panels at its Coonawarra project in Victoria — an Australian first.
Meteorologist Anthony Cornelius has built a hail-tracking business that helps solar farms stow panels before storms hit.
His software maps shifting hail corridors, showing seasons now start earlier and last longer as the climate warms.
With hail risk rising, developers and insurers are racing to build tougher, smarter solar systems that can survive Australia’s wilder weather.