By Eliza Hotchkiss December 31, 2024
This 4.1-MW PV array is on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. (Credit: Eliza Hotchkiss)
Natural disasters and human-caused events are highlighting the need for more resilient electricity and power systems across the globe. Disruptive events continue to expose vulnerabilities within infrastructure, while also highlighting opportunities for enhanced resilience.
Renewable energy can be a resilience solution if it is designed to withstand different types of hazards and threats. Renewable energy, such as solar photovoltaics (PV), can provide power during larger grid outages if resilience is incorporated into the system design, operation, commissioning and maintenance.
Take Hurricane Sandy, for instance. After it devastated New Jersey in October 2012, engineers discovered that many onsite PV systems had failed when they were most needed. Despite their installation prior to the storm, these systems were rendered inoperative, leaving communities without essential power during a critical time.
The aftermath revealed that around 600 communities in New Jersey were clamoring for backup energy solutions with many relying on diesel generators — systems that, unfortunately, exhibited high failure rates during the storm due to fuel shortages.1 This was a wake-up call: renewable energy systems like solar PV must be integrated into our disaster preparedness plans, with resilience as a core principle.
Similarly, the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 highlighted the shortcomings of Puerto Rico’s energy infrastructure. The island faced the longest power outage in U.S. history, lasting nearly 11 months.2 Solar panels, while a potential source of relief, were frequently damaged by the storms’ extreme winds and debris, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.3
It’s clear that without robust design and implementation strategies, even renewable energy systems can fall short in times of crisis.
Disasters are destructive and unfortunate when they occur, but they can be educational. By examining post-storm reports and forensic analyses, we can identify weaknesses in solar PV systems and make informed design choices to bolster their resilience. The goal should be to create energy systems that can withstand disruptive events, reducing their negative impacts on communities.
Disaster Planning and Recovery
So, how do we make our energy systems more resilient? One approach is integrating PV panels with battery storage systems, enabling communities to generate and store electricity onsite, independent of fossil fuel supply chains. This not only enhances resilience but also aligns with disaster mitigation strategies.
It’s imperative that we embed resilient solar solutions into disaster planning and recovery efforts, ensuring that when calamity strikes, our communities can weather the storm with greater ease.
A crucial aspect of this strategy is risk reduction. To ensure that PV systems perform well during and after disasters, we must understand the specific hazards that are most likely to occur in any given area. This knowledge informs the design criteria necessary to fortify these systems against vulnerabilities.4
Proactive measures, such as commissioning, hardening and securing PV installations ahead of anticipated storms, are essential to safeguarding our energy infrastructure.5
It’s also important to recognize that not every community can be fully supported by solar PV alone, due to challenges such as cost and implementation hurdles. This is where focusing on critical infrastructure becomes paramount.
Essential services like healthcare facilities, water treatment plants, and emergency management centers must be prioritized in disaster planning.6 By identifying key locations and installing appropriately sized solar PV and battery systems, we can ensure that our communities remain functional even in the face of adversity.
However, there’s another layer to this discussion: the need to value and quantify resilience in energy systems. While the benefits of resilient designs are evident, they often manifest only during disruptions, making them difficult to measure. We must develop consistent metrics for evaluating resilience so that system operators and utilities can effectively monetize these investments.
Although the cost of solar energy has dropped significantly over the past few decades, many U.S. households still lack access to affordable solar. Understanding the financial and non-financial benefits of resilience is crucial for the equitable deployment of solar PV systems.7 To achieve equitable solar adoption, it is crucial to expand access and affordability, especially for communities with high percentages of disadvantaged residents, renters, and low-income homeowners, who currently experience lower rates of rooftop solar adoption.
Moreover, while solar PV generates power during the day, it’s vital to integrate energy storage solutions, like batteries to meet energy demands at night or during outages. Sizing these systems appropriately is key to maximizing resilience.
Given the experiences of communities in New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy, understanding how diesel generators can be more resilient is also important. It’s equally crucial to recognize the environmental and fuel supply challenges diesel generators present. While often relied upon for backup power during emergencies, generators emit pollutants during use and rely on a supply chain that can be disrupted during disasters, leaving communities vulnerable.
Solar PV, on the other hand, can offer a cleaner alternative that can provide reliable, off-grid energy without the onsite air quality challenges and logistical risks associated with diesel generators. By integrating solar into emergency preparedness plans, we can create more resilient communities that are less dependent on fossil fuels and more capable of withstanding disruptions.
When combined with conventional generators, energy storage can significantly improve the reliability of our power supply, effectively doubling the survivability of fuel sources during grid outages.8
Conclusion
The path forward is clear. We must actively incorporate resilient solar solutions into our energy infrastructure to prepare for future disasters. By reducing risks, prioritizing critical services, and valuing resilience, we can build a more secure energy future for our communities. As we share lessons learned from past events, we can continue to refine our approaches.9 We must ensure our systems not only survive but thrive in the face of disruption. For further insights into this vital topic, explore the research available at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).10
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About the Author
Eliza Hotchkiss is a senior analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). She has seen damaged PV systems while supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency with disaster recovery efforts. She is an IEEE member, co-lead of the Task Force for Resilience Metrics, and an American Solar Energy Society member.