1. The National Centers for Environmental Information confirmed 2023 as a historic year for costly disasters due to extreme weather, with 28 weather/climate disaster events causing over $1 billion in losses and over 490 deaths.
2. Federal and state regulatory bodies, such as FERC and NERC, are implementing new regulations for power grid security in response to extreme weather events, particularly focusing on cold and hot weather preparedness for renewable assets.
3. Owners and operators of renewable assets should prioritize emergency response planning, weatherization, and compliance with evolving regulatory requirements to protect their assets, ensure grid reliability, and demonstrate the long-term viability of renewable generation.
In 2023, the National Centers for Environmental Information confirmed that the United States experienced historic and costly disasters due to extreme weather, resulting in 28 weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each. This has prompted discussions on cold and hot weather preparedness for power grid security, with federal and state regulatory bodies implementing new regulations to ensure compliance, particularly for renewable energy sources.
Owners and operators of renewable assets must stay abreast of evolving regulations to protect their assets from severe weather events, which can result in millions of dollars in damage. In hot summer regions where solar PV facilities are located, measures like vegetation management and infrared scans are crucial to prevent fires and equipment failure during electrical storms.
In winter, hailstorms can cause damage to solar panels, so owners must design projects that can tilt to reduce the impact of hail. Having an emergency response plan in place is essential for regulatory compliance and includes weatherization, preparation, and inspection for incoming weather events. Coordination and communication between parties involved, like owners, EPCs, and operators, are key in ensuring effective emergency response and weatherization strategies.
Regulators may conduct on-site inspections to ensure compliance with weather preparedness plans, with digital platforms being a valuable tool for tracking maintenance workflows and ensuring regulatory adherence. Post-event analysis is crucial for documenting lessons learned and preparing for future severe weather events in a climate of increasingly intense weather events.