Solar Panel Glass Protection?

Lexan roofing panels brand new pass about 90 percent light (high quality roofing panels). Fifteen years later it's about 50 percent. I have installed many acres of it. A coconut won't break through but may crack a roofing panel.

There are lexan panels made for see through hurricane panels; those will withstand a coconut for sure.

IF ..! i was going to try this
i would forget about the plexiglass
and go with a chicken wire mess, at least 2ft above the panels
strung from external supports NOT attached to the panels
i would also hang it on an angle/slope so that the fallen coconut would then roll off the mesh to the ground, so as to not collect them in the mesh
other leaves and debris would also fall off or be remove easier

Easy for you guys to give advice. Abuelo Mex can hardly pay anybody, trimming palms requires tools, rag ass kid for 10 pesos an hour won't do. Being not a tourist, his parking situation doesn't offer much choice either.

Thin mesh is an interesting idea.

Wait for one to break. Then consider options.
Otherwise watch where you park. The shade of the coconut tree will cut your yield significantly.

Denver is the hail capital of the world and even it doesn't compare to coconuts.

Mex

First, don't out your panels under trees. They don't do so well under trees.

Second, pay one of those young in down there to skedaddle up those trees and reduce the possibility of damage by removing the coconuts before they drop. I know they do it in the resorts.

I like Landys Idea, I was thinking chicken wire at first but mono filament would cast a smaller shadow.

That's a very good question. I have often wondered about this...for instance, all those RV's that go to the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota (where they have those hellish hail storms.) There must be a few RV's with Solar Panels and I'm guessing if the hail can mess up the "bikes and Trikes" it sure could do a number on a solar array.

Some thinner fishing line, some height in a matrix pattern above the panels should be able to reduce enough momentum to save the glass from the renegade coconut with mischief on its mind, and not eat 20% of output like pristine lexan apparently does.

I have solar panels on our house, and we live in hurricane prone FL. I had considered making protective Lexan cover panels for the solar array but couldn't find any data about how it would affect the performance.

First, consider the glass used on solar panels is special stuff. It allows more of the light spectrum to hit the solar matrix. Glass used in homes, and automobiles, typically blocks the UV spectrum.

I decided to test 1/4" thick new Lexan (no scratches, no prior UV degradation. I measured a 20% loss of performance.

I uploaded the video here: https://youtu.be/IEDPUQKlE-I

Wow, those attack coconuts look vicious! And coordinated! I can see why you are concerned.

Are you talking 1/2" thick solid lexan? Won't that cost (and weigh) more than the solar panels? Or are you talking the insulated greenhouse sheets, 2 layers 1/2" apart?

Specs for both, including light transmittance and wavelength, should be available online.

*sings* I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts.