IDC Energy releases new report detailing fire risk and prevention of rooftop solar PV systems

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

In IDC Energy Insights latest report, Technology Selection: Reducing Fire Risk in Rooftop Solar PV Systems, not only are the risks of a fire occurring on a rooftop PV solar system addressed, but so are the methods of prevention. IDC acknowledges that most owners of rooftop PV systems tend to overlook the potential fire risks as PV systems require little maintenance and don’t have moving parts. However, one of the leading risks of a fire on a rooftop system lies in the possibility for electricity to arc across an unwanted gap in the system’s electrical circuit creating an arc-fault.

“The risk of fire must be taken into account when evaluating any electrical system that operates at high voltages and high power levels, and rooftop solar PV systems are no exception,” said Jay Holman (pictured), research manager, IDC Energy Insights. “Arc-faults pose the greatest fire risk. Detecting and extinguishing arc-faults in DC PV systems will require the development of new devices called DC PV Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (DC PV AFCIs), designed to detect the signature of an arc-fault in the current of a PV system and stop the current from flowing through the arc-fault.”

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

While the 2011 U.S. National Electric Code (NEC) requires for arc-fault protection on select new rooftop PV systems and vendors are cultivating technologies that meet and exceed the NEC requirement, IDC states that the efforts are being hampered by the solar PV industry not having a standard against which to certify the new devices coupled with a hindered adoption of the NEC standard by several states and jurisdictions. Consequently, IDC concedes that until all these different components come together, it could potentially be years before new PV systems installed in the U.S. have the new protections against fire risks.

The study goes into greater detail into what ways the solar PV systems can fall short and cause fires as well as explaining ways to detect and diminish any problems to prevent a fire from occurring. In addition, IDC’s study details the NEC’s 2011 additions, which were made to deal with the risk of fire in solar PV systems and the impact on how the changes on solar systems in the U.S. are evaluated.

For the full study by IDC Energy, click here.

Read Next

May 2, 2025
AEMO said that new renewable energy generation and energy storage projects in the final commissioning phase in the NEM have reached 7GW.
May 2, 2025
The Queensland government has announced plans to reform the approval process for solar PV and wind generation sites in the Australian state.
May 1, 2025
US utility Alliant Energy has opened a 200MW solar facility in Linn County, Iowa, called Pleasant Creek Solar.
May 1, 2025
US tracker manufacturer FTC Solar has announced a 57.6% quarter-on-quarter increase in revenue in the first quarter of this year.
May 1, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) Arevon Energy has begun construction of its 430MW solar PV project in the US state of Missouri.
May 1, 2025
Shanghai-listed solar manufacturer Canadian Solar has posted massively decreased profits in Q1 2025 amid “high trade barriers” and “severe supply-demand imbalances”.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
May 7, 2025
Munich, Germany
Solar Media Events
May 21, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK