SOLAR UNDER STORM FOR POLICYMAKERS

The report addresses the vulnerability of energy infrastructure in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to extreme weather, arguing that while solar PV is a cost-effective alternative to imported fossil fuels, it requires specific engineering and policy standards to survive Category 5 hurricanes. Based on field analyses of failures from 2017–2019, the authors recommend moving away from shared top-down clips toward through-bolting and dual post piers for ground systems, and prohibiting ballasted-only rooftop systems. Implementing these resilience measures is estimated to increase engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) costs by approximately 5%, a cost offset by avoiding total system rebuilds. The report emphasizes multi-stakeholder collaboration and the integration of high-wind standards into local building codes to ensure long-term energy security.

• Solar PV systems in SIDS can survive extreme wind events, but failure is common when specific design flaws are present. Systems in the British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Puerto Rico, and Sint Eustatius survived wind gusts exceeding 190 miles per hour (306 kilometers per hour), while others suffered complete failure due to airborne modules and broken racking.
• The most frequent cause of solar PV failure is the use of shared top-down clips, which can lead to cascading failures where one loose module causes others to detach. Other critical failure points include debris impact, incorrect wind loading calculations for rooftop corner overturning, and the use of self-tapping screws instead of through bolting for ground-mounts.
• Resilient ground-mount systems typically utilize dual post piers, through bolting of modules (avoiding T clamps), lateral racking supports, and vibration-resistant connections such as Nylocs. For rooftop systems, survival is linked to the use of mechanical attachments, sufficient structural connection strength, and a formal QA/QC program led by an engineer of record.
• Increasing solar PV resilience to Category 5 hurricane standards adds an average of approximately 5% to engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) costs compared to Category 3 or 4 standards. This increase is attributed to additional labor for fastening and higher-rated materials, but it is offset by avoiding the cost of rebuilding after a storm.
• Policymakers are urged to implement specific technical regulations: prohibiting trackers in Category 4 or higher wind zones, requiring sealed structural calculations according to ASCE 7, and banning ballasted-only rooftop systems in favor of positive mechanical attachments.
• To ensure the availability of resilient equipment, policymakers should foster multi-stakeholder collaboration. This includes working with module suppliers to implement static and dynamic load tests for Category 5 winds and coordinating with racking suppliers for wind tunnel testing and rigidity assessments.

APA

BURGESS, C., LOCKE, J., & STONE, L. (2020). SOLAR UNDER STORM FOR POLICYMAKERS. RMI. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2026/05/Solar_Under_Storm_for_Policymakers.pdf

Chicago

BURGESS, CHRISTOPHER, JUSTIN LOCKE, and LAURIE STONE. SOLAR UNDER STORM FOR POLICYMAKERS. RMI, 2020. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2026/05/Solar_Under_Storm_for_Policymakers.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=BURGESS |first1=CHRISTOPHER |last2=LOCKE |first2=JUSTIN |last3=STONE |first3=LAURIE |title=SOLAR UNDER STORM FOR POLICYMAKERS |publisher=RMI |date=July 2020 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2026/05/Solar_Under_Storm_for_Policymakers.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{burgess2020solar, author = {BURGESS, CHRISTOPHER and LOCKE, JUSTIN and STONE, LAURIE}, title = {{SOLAR UNDER STORM FOR POLICYMAKERS}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2020}, month = jul, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2026/05/Solar_Under_Storm_for_Policymakers.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }