PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS

Transcription

1 PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE Marc Van de Velde Vice President Centre of Excellence Property Risk Engineering / GAPS NFPA Conference April 2016, Munich - Germany

2 Objectives Introduction Cells, modules, panels, frames, combustibility System types Fire loss history - Germany Panels, cables, connectors, cable management Loss History German insurers Firefighter issues Summary

3 Photovoltaic (PV) installations Europe JRC Science and Policy Reports = PV Status Report 2014, page 14 (Link checked ) Page 3

4 PV panel types Photovoltaic (PV) Crystalline Thin film Concentrator PV systems (CPV) Optical system such as mirrors and lenses to concentrate the light onto high efficiency cells images sources: courtesy of DOE/NREL Page 4

5 PV - types Stand-off Courtesy - Dennis Schroeder / NREL Courtesy - DOE/NREL Roof integrated Building integrated Courtesy - DOE/NREL Page 5

6 PV ground mounted Fixed courtesy DOE/NREL Jamie Keller With tracking Single axis Dual axis Courtesy: Tom Stoffel - NREL Courtesy: Warren Gretz - NREL Page 6

7 Solar energy Solar hot water Parabolic trough collector systems Parabolic mirrors concentrate light onto a tube filled with a heat transfer fluid (HTF) HTF heats water to steam that drives a turbine that generates electricity solar hot water images sources: courtesy of DOE/NREL Page 7

8 PV - Main system components solar panel array solar panel array cables and connectors junction boxes with fuses, over current protection DC side circuit breaker inverter AC system side to users, public utility, storage system Page 8

9 PV - fire losses - Germany Fraunhofer Institute Study Approx. 420 fire and heat related losses with PV systems involved 48% fires caused by a photovoltaic system component Damage to 6% 28% 31% 35% Component PV system Building Building lost System Type Involved 22% 1% 11% 51% 15% Roof mounted (Aufdach) Flat roof (Flachdach) Roof integrated Building integrated Ground mounted Fire Cause 10% 35% 37% 18% Product defect Planning mistake Installation mistake Outisde influence No split up between industrial and domestic No loss values Charts based on: Schadenprisma 2014/2 ( and Leitfaden PV TUV Fraunhofer 2015 Chapter 3.3 ( Page 9

10 PV panels standards Qualification and safety standards EN / IEC 61xxx series Life expectancy of a system is 20 years or more Performance capability under prolonged exposure to standard climates Third party certification is important Page 10

11 Rigid PV panel combustibility Testing requirements differ between standards. IEC : MST-23 - fire test specification to USA ANSI / UL 790 EN : MST-23 Note indicates European fire test is under consideration Offset systems Classification to EN : A F Tests showed fire propagation on backside of panel and roof pren50xxx - External fire exposure to roofs in combination with Photovoltaic arrays test methods Roof integrated systems Classification to EN : Broof (t1) Tests to CEN TS chapter 5.2 Page 11

12 DC cabling Cabling standardization long time neglected Older installations may have less suitable cables installed Cables should be: UV and Ozone resistant Weather and moisture resistant, Temperature resistant (minimum +90C better +125C Flame retardant (IEC ) no halogen (EN ) Acid and alkaline resistant (EN ) Not yet an official IEC / EN standard TÜV specification: 2Pfg 1169/ OR VDE E PV 01: OR German DKE/VDE AK Page 12

13 Cable connectors Prefabricated or field assembled UV resistance, moisture ingress, temperature Contact resistance Low plug in, high pull out force; interlocking system Force required to rip connector from cable NO IEC standard at present EN Connectors for photovoltaic systems safety (Germany also as DIN VDE ) Phoenix Contact - Photovoltaic connectors Product Overview Catalogue, Page 6 Page 13

14 Cable management p43-44 Page 14

15 Cable management The installation of PV installations on combustible roofs and or roof coverings is not recommended If installed, cables should not be directly laid on the roof and when larger accumulations occur be installed in noncombustible cable trays or metal conduit offset of the roof. Cabling should be run as much as possible on the outside of buildings Cabling should not run over parapets of fire walls Cables should not be run in the immediate vicinity or over plastic illumination bands / skylights. Special cables or protection might be required where exposed to possible attack by rodents. Page 15

16 Loss history German insurers ( ) Loss cause Number of incidents (%) Damage cost (%) Snow Storm 9 25 Hail 2 3 Fire 2 26 Overvoltage Theft 2 8 Deliberate 3 1 Miscellaneous Damage cost: natural elements: 40% Data Source: GDV Publication Renewable Energies March 2010 (Page 166) (link checked ) Page 16

17 Proof of stability (Statics) PV system and building design PV securing elements adequate for location - wind, snow Ballasted versus secured systems different challenges Building design can additional load be supported Roof drainage systems panels Hail exposure tests vary by standard

18 Fire Department Intervention Traditional: fire fire department arrives cut off power - intervention Issue with PV: when light electricity is produced can be over 1000 V DC Electric shock - Damaged electrical cables or panels Lack of access to roof, walking on roof, slipping, cutting holes Falling glass, panels No / limited Fire Department intervention can mean small loss versus total loss! De-energize up to reduce voltage to a safe level Maximum array sizes distance between arrays - pathways Discussions between Fire Department and property owner/operator!!! Existing installations familiarization intervention plans New Installations involvement already starting in planning stage Page 18

19 Short summary Use the latest codes, standards, guidelines Use quality, certified components Use qualified, certified installers Initial acceptance of installation (EN 62466) Service contract / supervision of system Regular maintenance, inspection by qualified personnel Disposal of damaged or end of life panels Appears easy to install Plug and play mentality Lack of know-how Several disciplines involved System statics and roof statics Natural hazards: wind, storm, ice, snow, hail, earthquake, flood, landslide Lightning and surge protection Fire safety issues: roof construction, components, routing of cables Potential firefighter issues Potential insurance type issues Page 19

20 Installation guidelines Many disciplines are involved in a successful installation Lack of comprehensive all covering guidelines in many countries GAPS Guidelines - GAP Photovoltaic Systems FM DS 1-15 Roof mounted solar photovoltaic panels FM DS Ground mounted solar photovoltaic panels NFPA - Commercial Roof-mounted Photovoltaic System Installation Best Practices Review and All Hazard Assessment steminstallation.pdf VDS 3145 (German): Germany: RAL GZ-966 (German) In approx 100 pages are covered components, installation, initial acceptance, service an maintenance DOE/NREL link: Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Page 20

21 THANK YOU Questions? Page 21

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