Fighting Fires With Solar Panels

Paul mcallister a firefighter in rhode island told a local television station that firefighters often attempt to fight fires from outside the building rather than enter the house if there are solar panels on the roof.

Fighting fires with solar panels.

Specifically this study focuses on structural fire fighting in buildings and structures involving solar power systems utilizing solar panels that generate thermal and or electrical energy with a particular focus on solar photovoltaic panels used for electric power generation. Only solar electric systems pose significant firefighter hazards but note that solar shingles may be hard to spot photo 8. One of the big misconceptions about solar panels is that they produce electricity nonstop and thus are a major hazard for fire departments dispatched to fight home fires. Unless alternative environmental factors are at play solar panel fires are caused by one thing dc arc faults.

Firefighting is intrinsically dangerous and battling a blaze in a building equipped with solar panels only adds to the list of perils firefighters have to confront. The good news is fire departments and homeowners have nothing to worry about in this regard. Solar plays an important role offering an alternative infrastructure of energy generation and distribution that will protect vulnerable communities from different threats of fire and disaster. After all solar panels don t have tail pipes.

Since solar panels are everywhere from home roofs to roadside signs to supermarkets firefighter training is intended to deal with all the challenges that may arrive when fighting fire with solar products involved. Today in the united states demand for solar is at an all time high and the fire service must become educated and trained on the. After all putting water on an electrical fire is not smart right. Lots of pipes and a few thin wires photo 9 indicate a solar hot.

Combine the dc arc with a combustable material and fire is the result. The national electric code which is adopted in all 50 states mandates the automatic shutdown of solar inverter. Most are designed to withstand large hailstones and high winds. Today s solar panels tend to be very strong.