Panels for Etna
A photovoltaic installation at 3,000 m altitude on Europe's largest active volcano, custom-built for INGV Catania's volcanic monitoring station.
When the volcano sets the technical specifications
The INGV – Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia in Catania operates a network of monitoring stations on Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano. At 3,000 metres altitude, these stations collect critical data on seismic activity, ground deformation, and eruptive dynamics – data that helps protect the communities living on the volcano's slopes.
The problem was dramatic: the standard solar panels powering these stations lasted an average of one year. Hail shattered the 4mm glass, winds up to 100 km/h bent the frames, and volcanic lapilli – solidified lava fragments ejected during eruptions – pierced surfaces and abraded the cells, forcing costly and dangerous annual replacements.
The INGV research team contacted MR WATT looking for a durable solution. After months of technical analysis conducted alongside the researchers, we redefined every panel specification: geometry, glass thickness, encapsulant type, frame dimensions. Every choice was driven by the station's environmental data: wind speed, hail frequency, average lapilli grain size, thermal swings between summer and winter (-20°C / +35°C).
The result is a custom-engineered 1000×500mm photovoltaic panel featuring 10mm tempered glass – more than double the standard – high UV-resistance EVA encapsulant, and a reinforced anodised aluminium frame. Each unit delivers 100W, and the full system is sized to guarantee energy autonomy even during eruptive phases when visibility is reduced by volcanic smoke.
Engineered to survive Mount Etna
FAQ – Panels for Extreme Environments
- How thick does the glass need to be to withstand lapilli?
- Volcanic lapilli range from 2mm to over 20mm. For the INGV station we specified 10mm tempered glass, sized to absorb impacts calculated from INGV historical data. For different environments, the choice always depends on a site-specific risk analysis.
- How did you collaborate with INGV researchers?
- INGV shared the station's historical environmental data: wind speeds (peaks and averages), hail frequency and size, lapilli composition and grain size, seasonal thermal swings. Based on this data we calculated structural loads and selected appropriate materials, presenting the specifications to the researchers and iterating the design together.
- How long do your extreme panels last compared to standard ones?
- The standard panels previously used by INGV had an average life of about one year. Our design target was 10 years, with annual performance monitoring. Data from the first seasons confirms the installation is holding up without significant degradation, even through eruptive phases.
- Can you build panels for other scientific installations?
- Yes. We're open to collaborating with research institutes, universities, and government agencies on projects requiring custom photovoltaic panels for non-conventional environments. Contact us with your installation's environmental data.
- What are the lead times for panels of this type?
- The technical design phase takes 4–8 weeks, including environmental data analysis and specification validation. Production of the first batch typically takes 6–10 weeks. We supply pre-series samples for validation before volume production.