Lightning Protection For Solar Power Plants

Solar arrays are also electronic devices and so are subject to the same potential for damage from surges.

Lightning protection for solar power plants.

Lightning protection is usually associated mainly with distribution networks or transmission lines and substations. Lighting can seriously harm your pv system lightning strikes and related electric discharge are one of the top reasons for sudden unexpected failures of solar systems. Protecting the power plant area from lightning related damage protecting the modules inverters and monitoring systems from the effects of electromagnetic impulses. However another area in the electricity supply paradigm where application of arresters needs to be considered are relatively small power stations also known as distributed generation dg plants.

There are 6 600 operating power plants in the u s. Power generation fossil solar and nuclear plants are typically constructed in large and unobstructed locations making these systems susceptible to lightning strikes. If there is steel well casing nearby you can use it as a ground rod make a strong bolted connection to the casing. Try to route part of the system into wetter areas like where a roof drains or where plants are to be watered.

Solar panels are especially prone to lightning strikes due to their large surface area and placement in exposed locations such as on rooftops or ground mounted in open spaces. Solar systems are often installed in open spaces away from. This includes thermal coal oil nuclear geothermal anything that uses turbines that run on heat to generate energy hydroelectric solar wind or wave tidal. Vfc and lyncole are proud to be the only company in the grounding industry that actively designs installs and verifies our utility and power generation lightning protection.

Direct strikes causing large ground step potential differences are hazardous to life and limb and to equipment. Where solar arrays are installed on residential or other rooftops lightning protection as described in nfpa 780 chapter 12 is a useful reference. Protection against direct lightning strikes and transient overvoltage a lightning protection system for free field systems and solar parks has two main goals. Solar lightning protection is important as lightning strikes and related electric discharge is one of the top reasons for sudden unexpected failures of solar systems.

How to protect your solar power system from lightning. Lightning protection surge protection and comprehensive grounding engineering are a must when keeping power flowing to the grid. Lightning strikes are dangerous involving currents of up to several hundred thousand amps with rise and decay times of a few microseconds. A lot of lightning protection work is buried and out.

However lightning protection of solar arrays by traditional franklin rod systems is still subject to concerns regarding effectiveness shadow effects installation cost and appearance. Solar needs surge protection. Earthing and lightning overvoltage protection for pv plants a guideline report november 2016 empowered lives.