The photovoltaic industry is facing a series of challenges, one after another.
Recently, following Typhoon Bavi, Typhoon Dolphin is moving inland, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall to many parts of Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Jiangsu provinces. Coastal cities are experiencing severe flooding, leading to varying degrees of waterlogging, and some railway lines have suspended operations.
Typhoon Dolphin has intensified rapidly and persistently since its formation. Within 48 hours of its formation, it rapidly strengthened to super typhoon level, reaching a maximum intensity of 65 meters per second (above level 17), making it the second strongest typhoon this year. It maintained super typhoon status for 5.5 days and strong typhoon-level intensity for 9 days.
It is worth noting that the impact of Dolphin is not limited to the southeastern coastal provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. According to information released by "China Weather," the typhoon or its remnants will combine with cold air after the 12th, and the impact will continue at least until the end of this week! This rainfall event in northern China is characterized by its extreme intensity. Henan and Hebei provinces will experience the strongest rainfall since the start of the rainy season, with special attention needed along the Taihang Mountains to mitigate the extreme rainfall caused by the windward slope effect.
From October 11th to 13th, western Shandong, southern Hebei, and Henan should be particularly wary of rainfall of 400-600 mm. Accumulated rainfall in some areas may exceed that at the landfall point, with localized areas in western and northern Henan and southern Hebei potentially exceeding 700 mm.
Beyond Henan, Shandong, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, heavy rain or torrential rain is also expected in Liaoning and other areas this weekend.
Typhoon Dolphin strikes! Solar panel base piles crush cars!
This typhoon is approaching with great force. Some solar panel owners in coastal provinces were caught off guard by Typhoon Dolphin, which had just weathered Typhoon Bavi.
The impact of this typhoon is even more severe than that of Bavi! On August 10th, according to videos posted by netizens in Zhejiang, a rooftop solar power station, including its solar panels and support base, was violently overturned by the strong winds of Typhoon Dolphin.
Even more terrifying, the concrete base, along with its support frame, crashed down on a parked car below. Due to the weight of the concrete base itself combined with the gravitational potential energy of the fall, the roof of the car parked below was smashed through the driver and passenger side, and the trunk was completely crushed, rendering the vehicle almost totaled. Fortunately, no one was inside the car when it fell.
Meanwhile, because the area over which the solar panels fell was vast and scattered, other nearby vehicles also suffered varying degrees of damage.
Rooftop solar power: How to withstand the "typhoon test"?
Faced with these unforeseen circumstances, how can solar power stations avoid losses or minimize them? For owners, the protection of solar power stations cannot rely on last-minute measures; instead, a comprehensive lifecycle protection system covering site selection, design, operation and maintenance, emergency response, and insurance should be established.
Firstly, in site selection, risks are mitigated from the outset. During the planning stage, risk assessments must be conducted based on historical weather data and the probability of extreme weather events. Avoiding floodplains and high-risk areas for geological disasters is a fundamental bottom line. The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development's mandatory standard, "Specifications for Solar Power Generation Engineering Projects (Draft for Comments)," explicitly requires that the flood control standard for photovoltaic array areas should not be lower than a 30-year high water (tide) level. This means that hydrological conditions must be fully considered during site selection, and complacency is unacceptable.
Compared to photovoltaic panels directly installed on rooftops, photovoltaic power stations that require rooftop bases and supports pose greater risks during extreme weather events. Therefore, the quality of materials used for concrete bases and photovoltaic supports must be strictly guaranteed.
In terms of design, photovoltaic modules should employ double-row piles and diagonal bracing to enhance the pull-out resistance of the support foundation. The connection between the module frame and the pressure block should be reinforced to prevent pull-out. The safety level of the photovoltaic support should not be lower than level three, and the safety level of the support foundation should not be lower than the safety level of the upper support structure. For tracking systems, the system should have the capability to position itself in a safe posture.
In addition, the protection rating of outdoor electrical equipment should not be lower than IP54. Inverters, combiner boxes, transformer substations, and energy storage compartments should be reinforced with enhanced sealing and waterproofing, raised bases, and additional water-blocking and drainage facilities. Low-lying substations should be equipped with pumping equipment in advance, and water ingress points should be sealed to prevent water damage, short circuits, and explosion risks.
Besides preliminary preparations, a lack of routine maintenance can also lead to malfunctions at critical moments.
It's important to know that the 24-48 hours before a typhoon is a critical window that determines the fate of a power station. Before extreme weather arrives, it is necessary to inspect the central pressure blocks, side pressure blocks, and fixing bolts, and tighten, replace, or repair any loose, rusted, or missing fasteners. Check the support beams for bending, deformation, and cracks. Older power stations, windward roofs, and large-span arrays should be reinforced with wind-resistant bracing and counterweight sandbags. Since component frames are exposed to the elements for extended periods, inadequate routine inspections can amplify potential problems such as loose fasteners and rusted or cracked supports in a strong wind.
Replace inverter and combiner box cabinet door seals immediately if they show signs of aging. Seal cable entry holes and cable tray gaps to prevent rainwater backflow. Inspect AC and DC cable joints to prevent leakage and sparking during rainy weather.
In the event of severe extreme weather, you can choose to completely disassemble and preserve the photovoltaic modules, as mentioned above by the Zhejiang homeowner, and reinstall them after the weather returns to normal. Although this incurs additional installation and disassembly costs, it is far less than the loss of the entire power station being overturned and destroyed.
Of course, even with the most comprehensive protection, the destructive power of extreme weather can sometimes exceed expectations. In such cases, insurance is the last resort to mitigate losses.
Photovoltaic power station natural disaster insurance covers equipment damage caused by earthquakes, floods, typhoons, hail, sandstorms, etc., paying out based on actual losses. Complete destruction may be compensated based on replacement cost. However, it should be noted that equipment defects, excessive use, and aging are not covered.
Currently, the insurance industry is also constantly innovating. Some institutions have launched financial products such as "carbon asset weather insurance." Financial regulators in some regions are guiding insurance institutions to develop comprehensive insurance products that cover property damage, power generation revenue loss, and public liability.
