How to deal with spontaneous combustion of reverse-connected photovoltaic panels

Are photovoltaic systems causing a fire?

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative In recent years, it is evident that there is a surge in photovoltaic (PV) systems installations on buildings. It is concerning that PV system related fire

Can a PV system cause a fire?

Although rare, there have been fire incidents involving PV systems in countries such as the United States, Germany, and Japan. In cases where a PV system was not the source of the fire, the PV system may still have had an impact by limiting firefighter access in operations.

How do ICS deal with fires involving solar PV?

“Big box” buildings may require the IC to think “outside the box” when tackling fires involving solar PV. Consider horizontal ventilation techniques using the large receiving door openings for ventilation and special call equipment as an aid (e.g., cranes, claws, lifts, and so on).

Can a PV system prevent a fire in a building?

In the past, the lack of availability of operating procedures for firefighting in buildings with PV systems led to cases of uncertainty regarding how firefighters should approach fighting the fire, potentially leading to controlled burn-down scenarios occasionally reported in public media.

What is a solar photovoltaic firefighting strategy?

When responding to a structure, residential, or commercial fire that involves solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, you must implement a new firefighting strategy. No longer can the operating incident commander (IC) open the main electrical disconnect to a structure and feel comfortable that no energized power sources will remain.

Can a PV system be isolated?

The system cannot be isolated since the inverter holds charges, and electricity may flow back to PV panels. There is no single point to isolate a PV system completely. Disconnect means only partially de-energize.