Case Study: Polar Racking’s Resilience in Hurricane Fiona – The Summerside Sunbank Solar Project
Project Overview
The Summerside Sunbank Solar Project, located in Prince Edward Island, stands as the largest solar farm in Atlantic Canada, spanning over 80 acres. This landmark project integrates a 26.26 MW DC solar array with a 10 MW battery energy storage system, collectively forming a community microgrid. The goal: reduce the city’s reliance on imported electricity from 58% to 38%—boosting local energy independence and sustainability.
Polar Racking’s Role
Polar Racking was selected to supply and engineer the structural racking and foundation systems. With years of experience designing for high wind and snow loads, Polar’s team delivered a custom, durable solution tailored to the unique demands of PEI’s coastal environment.
Impact of Hurricane Fiona
In September 2022, Hurricane Fiona—a devastating Category 4 storm—made landfall in the region with winds exceeding 150 mph. While many systems across the Maritimes suffered serious damage, the Summerside Sunbank Solar Project, anchored by Polar Racking’s engineering, emerged with no impact. The structural integrity of the racking system played a critical role in preventing widespread losses.
This outcome validated Polar Racking’s commitment to engineering solar solutions built for the real world—where weather is increasingly extreme
Want to hear the story straight from the source?In Episode 196 of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Polar Racking CEO Vishal Lala discusses how their approach to smart, storm-resilient racking systems helped safeguard one of Canada’s most ambitious solar projects.
Listen now to explore the design principles that kept the Summerside array standing.
Community & Environmental Impact
Beyond its storm resilience, the Sunbank project is expected to:
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Offset over 21,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually
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Provide backup power through battery storage during outages
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Support PEI’s emissions reduction goals with local renewable energy
Conclusion
The Summerside Sunbank case highlights a growing need: solar systems must be designed not just for performance—but for survival. Polar Racking’s success here underscores how smart engineering and local adaptability are crucial as climate risks escalate.
With more storms on the horizon, solutions like Polar’s aren’t just smart—they’re essential.
