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Conspiracy theory gains traction after powerful storm rips through local farm — here's how experts are responding

"Solar photovoltaic power has many advantages as a resilient power source, including the ability to provide power after a natural disaster."

“Solar photovoltaic power has many advantages as a resilient power source, including the ability to provide power after a natural disaster."

Photo Credit: iStock

Solar power has always been criticized, with skeptics assuming it's a weak energy source and that panels can't reliably hold up in strong weather or natural disasters. Experts are trying to quell these concerns. 

What's happening?

A bad storm that hit the United Kingdom and caused widespread power outages, floods, and damage also disrupted a solar farm in Anglesey, an island off the coast of Wales. Some media outlets reported that solar panels were "torn to shreds" and that the farm was decimated.

This type of extreme language can spread skepticism and fuel doubts about the effectiveness of solar. But while there was real damage done by the storm, the infrastructure for solar power can be repaired quicker than what's required for dirty fuels, according to Euronews.

In essence, they are just boards with solar panels on them that need to be placed in a way that the sun reaches often, though many modern solar farms now use panels that can move with the sun as well for additional power. Since a solar farm requires far less maintenance throughout a given year than a gas or coal power plant, for example, the cost of deploying crews to clean and repair after a storm is still very low by comparison.

"Although the damage to the Porth Wen site looks substantial, one of the great advantages of solar farms is that they are quick to install and hence repair," said Chris Hewett, chief executive of trade association Solar Energy UK, per Euronews.

Solar Energy UK said it had been "told that the initial recovery efforts were already complete" less than a week after the storm, and that "energy generation will be resumed as soon as it is safe to do so," according to Euronews.

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"Being decentralised, renewables are more resistant to damaged electricity networks than the old model of centralised, fossil-fuelled power stations," Hewett said.

"Nonetheless, the industry will no doubt learn from this incident. Alongside Energy UK and Renewable UK and our members, we are working on further understanding how our energy system should adapt to the consequences of climate change," he said.

Why is solar power important?

Solar power is an important clean energy source that is good for both human and environmental health. Homeowners who install their own solar panels save money on their utility bills and break their reliance on traditional dirty energy

Governments and corporations that invest in solar help the planet by cutting back on harmful pollution caused by fossil fuels such as coal and gas. It's also getting cheaper and easier than ever to make the switch to solar. 

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And even though solar panels can be damaged by extreme weather such as wind and hail, technology is constantly evolving to protect the infrastructure and make it more resistant. 

What's being done about it? 

There are plenty of resources online that offer advice on making solar panels tougher against strong winds, including from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

In a 2020 report, it laid out several strategies for improving solar through new design features and quality construction and installation.

"Solar photovoltaic (PV) power has many advantages as a resilient power source, including the ability to provide power after a natural disaster. While solar arrays can survive severe weather events, in some case systems are compromised and left unable to provide power. For PV systems to act as resilient power providers, they must remain operational," the report said.

"Overall, the main steps to PV resilience are quality assurance in system design, quality control during installation, and ongoing operations and maintenance." 

For tips on installing your own solar panels or signing up for community solar power, check out TCD's guide pages.

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