kWh Analytics, through its licensed subsidiary Solar Energy Insurance Services, has launched a data-sharing pilot program designed to incentivize renewable energy assets for implementing extreme weather mitigation measures. This initiative expands the company’s risk modeling capabilities by integrating real-world data on advanced resilience strategies from solar projects, moving beyond standard insurance submission information.
The initial phase of the pilot focuses on enhancing the capture and transmission of project-level resilience data to insurance carriers. With advancements in tracker technology, including 70-degree stowing capabilities, automated stow procedures, and increased availability of historical stow performance data, insurers can gain clearer insights into asset design and operational readiness against severe weather. Modeling these resilient configurations has demonstrated substantial reductions in portfolio-level average annual losses and insurance premiums compared to baseline assumptions and stow protocols. Projects that incorporate additional risk mitigation, such as thicker, heat-tempered module glass, further improve loss profiles.
Nextpower, a leader in tracking systems, will share real-time and historical hail stow performance data from its NX Horizon® trackers with Hail Pro™ technology for solar developer owners participating in the collaborative telematics program. kWh Analytics will integrate this operational data into its proprietary risk modeling platform to more accurately assess how system design and operational readiness influence expected losses, mirroring the telematics approach used in the auto insurance sector.
Jason Kaminsky, CEO of kWh Analytics, stated, “Extreme weather continues to be a significant driver of loss for utility-scale solar, and the industry is rapidly advancing how those risks are managed. By incorporating real-world data, including stow performance from Nextpower tracking systems, we can tie insurance structures more closely to demonstrated resiliency, encouraging investments that protect assets and strengthen the long-term bankability of solar projects.”
Jyoti Jain, head of software product management at Nextpower, added, “We’re excited to partner with kWh Analytics on this ground-breaking program that will bring greater transparency and precision to how solar asset risk is evaluated. By allowing customers to share verified stow performance data from our NX Horizon® trackers with Hail Pro™ technology, we’re enabling a shift from modeled assumptions to real-world evidence. This level of insight allows insurers to reward projects that are truly engineered and operated for long-term resilience.”
A case study in the kWh Analytics Solar Risk Assessment 2024, co-published with Longroad Energy and Nextpower, illustrated that proactive stowing at 75 degrees would have reduced the damage probability of a 2022 event by 87% compared to stowing at 60 degrees. This new framework acknowledges the increasing importance of advanced solar tracker systems and site design strategies in fortifying projects against risks such as high winds, hail, and flooding. As extreme weather events become more frequent across the U.
S., this methodology aims to align insurance pricing with engineering, technology, and operational choices that significantly reduce potential losses and enhance long-term asset durability.
kWh Analytics anticipates that additional technologies and operational practices will qualify for premium differentiation as data quality, verification, and modeling continue to advance. The company plans to expand this framework through ongoing collaboration with industry leaders.
