Solar panels are designed to spend decades outdoors, where they can face wind, rain, snow, extreme temperatures, and hail. While most photovoltaic modules can withstand ordinary weather conditions, severe hail can exceed the level of impact covered by standard module certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That makes a solar panel hail rating<\/strong> particularly important for projects in hail prone regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) notes that PV modules have historically survived most hail events, but very large hail, particularly hail greater than about 1\u00be inches (44 mm) in diameter<\/strong>, has caused significant module damage. DOE also identifies severe hail as a major source of insured losses for solar PV systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, simply seeing that a solar panel is “hail certified” does not tell buyers how it will perform during an extreme storm. Standard certification establishes a baseline level of resistance. Enhanced hail testing goes considerably further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding that distinction can help installers, EPCs, developers, and solar buyers make better equipment and insurance decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTable of Contents<\/h2>