Australia · Western Australia (WA)

Solar panel hotspots: what they are and why they matter in Western Australia

Hotspots are localised areas of overheating on a solar panel, typically caused by cell damage, micro-cracks, or persistent shading. They are the leading cause of accelerated panel degradation and are best detected via thermal imaging. Here's what you need to know.

Western Australia has a arid climate with 6 peak sun hours per day. High soiling risk makes this issue particularly relevant. Extreme conditions accelerate degradation.

Related issues

Cell hotspots

common

Localised overheating in individual cells caused by micro-cracks, shading, or manufacturing defects. Best detected via thermal imaging.

Typical loss: 520%

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Based on conservative solar performance modelling and published degradation data

NRELIEA-PVPSSunSpecPVsyst+ published research

Updated April 2026 · Structured performance modelling

How we calculate →