US-based climate insurer kWh Analytics subsidiary, Solar Energy Insurance Services, has launched a data-sharing initiative that rewards renewable energy assets for efforts in extreme weather mitigation.
According to the firm, the programme initially targets better capture and transmission of project-level resilience data to insurers. Advances in tracker tech like 70-degree+ stowing, automated stow procedures, and expanded historical stow data offer insurers clearer insight into asset design and operation ahead of severe weather.
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kWh Analytics will leverage solar project data to enhance its risk models, boosting resilience beyond what standard insurance submissions capture.
Solar PV solutions provider Nextpower will be the first to join kWh Analytics’ data-sharing programme through its NX Horizon system. Enrolled developers will provide insurers with real-time and historical hail stow data, enabling a more dynamic, evidence-driven view of project risk.
“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,” said Jason Kaminsky, CEO of kWh Analytics.
“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.”
The programme highlights the significance of tracker systems and site design in protecting projects from wind, hail, and flooding. As extreme weather rises in the US, the initiative seeks to tie insurance pricing to engineering and operational measures that reduce losses and enhance asset durability.
In the kWh Analytics Solar Risk Assessment 2024, a Longroad Energy and Nextpower published a case study showing proactive 75-degree stowing could have cut damage probability in a 2022 event by 87% versus 60-degree stows.
kWh Analytics was recently acquired by specialty insurer Beazley and integrated into its Marine, Accident & Political Risks team. The deal aimed at strengthening Beazley’s modelling, underwriting, and risk management for renewable energy portfolios.
