Large hail impacts on photovoltaic systems: A review of damage, testing, and mitigation

Large hail causes billions in economic losses annually through damage to crops and property worldwide. A growing area of concern involves the impact of hail on renewable power plants, particularly photovoltaics (PV), with significant damage reported in Europe and the USA sparking research interest. As global PV installations expand, the threat posed by hail to their reliability becomes increasingly critical. Current literature on this topic is fragmented and regionally focused. This review paper addresses this gap by providing a state-of-the-art overview of research on hail-induced damage in PV modules, encompassing damage characterization and existing testing protocols. Furthermore, it identifies current research gaps and potential avenues for future studies, including the development and evaluation of mitigation strategies to enhance the resilience of PV systems against large hail events.