Canadian wildfires cut solar power by 6.38 TWh, caused $1.9bn loss in 2023
Wildfire smoke significantly reduced solar power generation across North America and Europe. This reduction caused substantial economic losses and increased carbon emissions. Other air pollution sources like automobiles also impact solar panel productivity. Wildfires can also physically damage solar farm equipment and infrastructure. Improved forecasting and vegetation management can mitigate…
A recent study has found that wildfires in Canada significantly impacted solar power generation in North America and Europe in 2023. The smoke from these wildfires reduced solar electricity production by an estimated 6.38 terawatt-hours over a five-month period, accounting for about 2.8% of the solar electricity generated in the two regions during that time.
This decline in solar generation led to an estimated economic loss of $1.9 billion and resulted in approximately 2.1 megatons of CO2 emissions. The primary cause of the reduced solar power output was the smoke and airborne particles from the wildfires, which blocked or scattered sunlight before it reached the solar panels. While the researchers noted significant uncertainty in their estimates, they emphasized that wildfires can have far-reaching effects, impacting solar farms, commercial installations, and rooftop systems even when the panels themselves are not directly affected by fire.
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