Infographic: Will solar really work in your state?

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One Block off the Grid, the San Francisco startup that offers Groupon-style discounts for solar panel installations, put together an infographic to debunk the commonly held belief that the renewable energy source only works in sunny states like California and Arizona. 1BOG offers evidence — and anecdotal quips — that even famously cloudy locales can become a leading solar city. For example, Portland has three times the number of residential solar installation as most cities.

The infographic, which features comments from solar users, is one more way 1BOG is tapping into the power of people to promote the renewable energy source. Earlier this summer, 1BOG announced its One Nation Off the Grid program to offer group deals across 34 states, including places with few, if any, incentives for solar. 1BOG doesn’t try to downplay the disparity between states. Instead, 1BOG goes out of its way to advertise to would-be customers how each state measures up with an interactive map and encourages folks living in unfriendly solar states to contact their lawmakers and push for incentives.

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how well does the panels stand up to hail?

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how well does the panels stand up to hail?

Can solar panels be damaged by hail?

While hail certainly could damage some types of solar panels, the likelihood is very small and occurrences are extremely rare. Many solar-electric modules and solar hot water collectors are made with tempered glass. Under standard test conditions they will withstand hail up to one inch in diameter, traveling at 50 miles per hour. Even in locations where larger hail does rarely occur, the hail is more likely to make a glancing blow to your array rather than a direct hit since panels are usually oriented at a tilt and facing south (in the northern hemisphere), which is most frequently not the prevailing direction for severe hail storms.

However, if you live in an area of the country where softball-sized hail is more common than in other areas and you are still a little nervous, you can make some further choices that will minimize your chances of damage. For solar electricity, consider using thin-film (or amorphous) photovoltaic panels. The substrate is a flexible plastic material and highly resistant to damage from rocks or hail. Any damage that does occur will not substantially affect the array’s performance. For solar hot water applications, flat plate panels or evacuated tube collectors can be mounted vertically on a south-facing wall where some shelter is afforded from the roof eave instead of the collectors being completely vulnerable on top of the roof.

In any case, damage to your solar equipment should be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy, although you would be wise to review your policy’s coverage with your insurance agent in case you need to add a special endorsement.

— Linda Pinkham, former managing editor for Home Power Magazine

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/ask-our-experts/solar-panels-and-hail.aspx#ixzz1XaFoCsRK