Japan-based Solar Frontier has announced that its s-series solar panels have passed tests demonstrating the products can withstand the impact of 45-mm-wide hail. That’s approximately the size of a golf ball and recognized within the threshold of damage-causing hail.
The company says VDE Testing and Certification Institute, an internationally accredited testing institute for electronic equipment, fired multiple 45-mm-wide ice balls at 110 km/hour at Solar Frontier’s panels. Standard industry tests usually cover up to 25-mm-wide ice balls fired at 83 km/hour, according to Solar Frontier.
The company says the tests confirm the panels’ viability for use by homeowners and businesses in regions that frequently experience damaging winter storms. Solar Frontier adds that its panels have also passed tests that demonstrate they are suitable for a host of other challenging environments, including ammonia-heavy areas, such as animal farms or areas with lots of birds; salt-mist areas, such as those along the coasts; and in areas with sandstorms, such as deserts.
