“But what about an EMP? Wouldn’t it fry the panels just the way it would fry transistors and other solid-state devices?”
No, because EMP does NOT destroy all things electronic and electrical, contrary to Internet rumors. EMP relies on long wires to generate the energy needed to harm those things attaches to such wires. EMP, in effect, needs an antenna to generate its electrical signal strong enough to harm anything. Your radio just sitting there isn’t going to be harmed.
>> EMP does NOT destroy all things electronic and electrical. . . . EMP, in effect, needs an antenna <<
I think you may be confusing the effects of EMP with the effects of CME.
CME definitely needs an antenna, specfically one “cut” to extremely long wavelengths.
On the other hand, EMP can destroy certain solid-devices even when no “antenna” is attached.
I don’t know about solar panels. My best guess, however, is that they’d survive a CME, but would not survive a strong direct hit from an EMF. Still, that’s just a “guess” on my part.