Technology helping solar farms counter growing hailstone threat

With storms becoming more frequent due to the climate crisis, insurers are forcing operators to respond

One of the least considered hazards of climate change is the increasing frequency of hailstorms and the size and the impact of the pieces of ice they produce. This, in turn, threatens one of the most promising solutions to the climate crisis: solar farms.

In the last year, the number of hailstorms in Europe exceeded 10,000 and the size of large hailstones reported from Italy and Germany increased to 10cm (4in) - enough to dent a car, smash greenhouses and break a solar panel. The frequency of storms and the size of the hail is increasing.