Strategies and Technologies for Operationally Resilient and Maximally-available Solar (STORMS)
The mission of the STORMS project is to maximize the reliability and availability of utility-scale solar in support of the nation’s growing electricity demands and economic and technological diversification.
Project Overview
This Sandia-led multi-year, multi-institutional project focuses on strengthening the US solar sector by developing and disseminating tools and best practices to enable photovoltaic (PV) plant operators to better predict, mitigate and respond to specific storm events.
In addition, the project aims to break down barriers to information-sharing across the solar industry and create a clearinghouse for data- and information-sharing among key stakeholders, including asset owners, EPCs (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction), and researchers.
Project Tasks
The following five tasks are supported by the STORMS project:
- Risk Assessment
- Post-Storm Field Data
- STORMS Database
- Stakeholder Outreach
- Design Optimization/Technoeconomic Analysis (TEA)
Graphic depiction of the five tasks
supported by the STORMS project.
Storm Categories
Why This Work is Important
Multiple trends have introduced increased risk to utility-scale PV systems. The STORMS project aims to mitigate those risks through data-informed siting decisions and evidence-based design recommendations.
- Extreme Weather: Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity globally
- Solar Growth: Solar deployment is accelerating notably in higher-risk areas for catastrophic weather events
- Technological Evolution: Modules are getting bigger and thinner; supply chain is more diverse and unreliable
- Continuing Decline in Installation Costs: Downward cost pressure remains a key driver of growth but also a key factor in reliability
- Electricity Demand: Electricity demand in the US projected to surge, increasing the need for solar energy
Graphic depiction of trends that have introduced increased risk to utility-scale PV systems.
How to Partner
The STORMS project relies on trusted partnerships with industry stakeholders—including EPCs, asset owners, O&M (Operations and Maintenance), investors, and insurers—to advance PV resilience in the face of increasing storm activity. Working together, we can:
- Identify emerging challenges and R&D priorities
- Share information from new failure modes to best practices
- Engage in collaborative and mutually beneficial activities
- Support the continued growth of solar across the US
Partner Labs and Universities
