Surge Protection for Commercial and Industrial PV

OVERVIEW

Today’s increased reliance on very sensitive electronics makes surge protection an important topic for Photovoltaic Systems or Solar Power Systems. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety study found that $26 billion dollars was lost due to non-lightning power surges. In addition, there are about 25 million lightning strikes in the US each year that cause between $650M to $1B in losses according to the Insurance Information Institute, State Farm©.

This article discusses the various aspects of Photovoltaic Systems or Solar Power Systems to help you develop a comprehensive surge mitigation strategy for your equipment. Each section will conclude with a Surge Protective Device (SPD) Protection Point which identifies where an SPD should be installed and which SPD is appropriate.

Photovoltaic Power Plant

Photovoltaic power plants are exposed to the environment, induced surges via lighting, and switching transients by way of switching from the substation. Any damage or downtime to equipment operating within the solar array directly affects the output of the solar farm.

SPD Protection Point: Solar Array

SPD Protection Point: Solar Inverter

The solar inverter is directly tied to the solar array. Just as important as the solar array, the solar inverter houses the power electronics needed to convert the DC to AC.

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SPDs for PV Systems