Hail reported to have damaged solar systems in Italy's Marche region

What happened

A hail storm was reported to have crossed Italy's Marche region in July 2026, with thunderstorms and damaging winds along the Adriatic coast. Photovoltaic systems were reported to have been damaged in localised areas. A manager of about 200 systems said only one of those systems was damaged in this event, with losses estimated at about €80,000 to €90,000. Modules at a system near San Benedetto del Tronto were described as certified for mechanical resistance and as having withstood earlier hail; recent weather was described as more intense.

That project was said to have all-risk cover under the Conto Energia scheme, and an insurance claim was reported to have been filed. The same account described a separate storm in early June that destroyed two systems in Monteroberto, near Jesi, while a nearby system was unaffected. Other media and social media posts were said to have noted further damaged systems, but those reports are not set out here. Hailstone size was not reported.

Contributing factors

The account describes hail as highly localised, and says such damage, previously rare for the systems managed, has become more frequent and intense over the past two or three years. No measured hail size was given.

Lessons learned

1. Mechanical certification does not by itself show that a system will withstand a more intense hail event.
2. Highly localised storms can damage one array and leave a nearby one unaffected, so regional reports need site-level checks.
3. Owners should confirm whether cover actually includes photovoltaic equipment before a loss.

Source

pv magazine (pv-magazine.com)