Array & Aeeris add hail protection for Australian solar

Array Technologies has teamed up with Aeeris to add hail intelligence to its SmarTrack Hail Alert Response platform in Australia, extending automated hail protection for solar projects in a market with more than 13GW of deployed solar capacity.

Under the agreement, Array will use data from Early Warning Network, a subsidiary of Sydney-based Aeeris, as the hail intelligence provider for its Australian operations. The software is designed to detect hail risk and move solar modules to protective tilt angles before storms arrive.

The process is intended to happen automatically, without manual intervention by site operators. The system analyses incoming weather data and adjusts modules ahead of damaging conditions.

Australia's utility-scale solar sector has expanded rapidly over the past decade, growing from less than 350MW of deployed capacity in 2017 to more than 13GW by the end of 2025. Much of that build-out is in areas exposed to severe convective storms, making hail a growing concern for owners, insurers and lenders.

Insurance underwriters have identified hail as an increasing risk across this expanding footprint. The issue has gained attention as developers and operators look to protect projects from weather-related damage that can disrupt output and increase operating costs.

Array said its tracker systems use AC grid-powered motors and wired communications, which it argues provide more reliable stow behaviour during adverse conditions than systems that rely on battery power and wireless communications. It added that the integration with EWN's monitoring network strengthens that approach in the Australian market.

EWN's service combines national radar coverage, meteorologist verification and proprietary detection algorithms. By integrating that data into SmarTrack, Array aims to give project operators a clearer way to demonstrate risk management practices to insurers and financiers.

Francesca Lucia Falcone, Business Development Director, APAC at Array, said the partnership would widen the use of automated weather response tools across Australia's solar fleet.

"ARRAY's approach to engineered simplicity combined with EWN's hail intelligence platform unlocks new potential for Australia that will continuously benefit solar projects by equipping them with tools that make them adaptable when facing hail risks," said Francesca Lucia Falcone, Business Development Director, APAC at Array.

"This integration greatly improves the bankability of these projects and ARRAY is proud to work with trusted collaborators such as EWN to help our customers deliver consistent, reliable energy throughout Australia," Falcone said.

Aeeris described the deal as part of a broader shift in how weather risk is managed across renewable assets. It said real-time intelligence can help solar projects respond more quickly to changing conditions as more capacity is built in exposed regions.

"Australian solar enters a new phase as EWN's collaboration with ARRAY utilizes data-driven intelligence to make real-time adjustments that enhance performance and longevity of projects nationwide," said Henrik Thorup, Executive Chairman of Aeeris.

"As solar projects continue to be deployed across Australia, this advancement will better help to protect these valuable energy assets on the grid from the rising risks of damaging hail. We look forward to working with ARRAY to ensure that solar power continues to play a valuable role for the Australian power grid through the built-in resilience needed to be protected from hail threats," Thorup said.

Array is a US-based supplier of solar tracking technology and fixed-tilt systems for utility-scale and distributed generation projects. The company has expanded in Australia as the local solar market has grown, and the latest partnership adds a software and data element to its offering for project operators facing more volatile weather conditions.

The tie-up also reflects a wider focus across the renewable energy sector on operational resilience. As projects move into regions with greater exposure to extreme weather, developers are under pressure to show that equipment, communications systems and response procedures can limit damage when storms hit.

For Australian solar operators, that pressure increasingly comes not only from engineering requirements but also from the expectations of insurers and capital providers assessing long-term project risk.