NATURAL AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES Making choices for the future: UFH research informs thinking about the feasibility of rooftop solar systems Oyeniyi A. Alimi, Edson L. Meyer, Olufemi I. Olayiwola, Ochuko K. Overen summer mean temperature would of five hailstorms has occurred in the result in a 40% increase in the the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality (RMM) severity of hailstorms, which occur and at least two have caused major when a thunderstoom updraught lifts damage to infrastructure. water droplets above the freezing A hailstorm that occurred on level in the atmosphere. In South September 30, 2022 was categorised Africa, the mean annual temperature as H3 on the Tornado and Storm has increased at least 1.5 times the Research Organisation (TORRO) scale observed global average increase of as it caused considerable damage 0.65°C during the last 50 years as a to exposed infrastructure including result of global warming. All this gives rooftop solar PV modules. The TORRO rise to questions about the feasibility scale ranges from H0 to H10, where of solar-powered PV systems if the H0 corresponds to ‘no damage’ and likelihood of costly damage increases. H10 corresponds to ‘catastrophic Dr Oyeni A. Alimi The Misgund area in the Langkloof damage’. Valley as well as the southern slopes Concerns about the adverse effect of oncern for the environment of the Winterberg Mountains in the extreme weather events on solar PV along with rising costs and Eastern Cape (north of Somerset East systems led the UFH research team Cloadshedding has resulted in to north of Fort Beaufort) are popular to investigate their impact on the an increased number of people and hailstorm ‘hotspots’ in South Africa. In feasibility of the systems themselves businesses turning to solar power for the last four months, a record number their energy needs. While there are many benefits to having photovoltaic (PV) panels installed on rooftops, systems can be damaged by extreme weather events such as hailstorms. An experimental analysis conducted by a University of Fort Hare research team consisting of Dr Oyeniy Alimi, Professor Edson Meyer, doctoral candidate Olufemi I. Olayiwola and Professor Ochuko Overen showed Figure 1. Occurrence, severity and cumulative duration of hailstorms in that every 1°C increase in the Raymond Mhlaba municipality Dec. 2021 – Sept. 2022 25 | University of Fort Hare