1. Important
!
The Systems, Drawings And Pictures
Depicted In This Presentation Are
Used For Discussion Purposes Only.
PV Systems And Their Components
Vary In Design, And Appearance. It Is
Imperative That Your Department
Become Familiar With The Systems
Installed In Your Community.
2. !
Coordination Between Your Fire
Department And Your
Municipalities' Building And Fire
Code Officials Is Essential To
Understanding &Identifying PV
Systems Installed In Your
Community!
3.
4. Program Goals:
To Provide Firefighters
with an Awareness of
Photovoltaic Systems so
Informed Fire Ground
Decisions can be Applied
for Safe Fireground
Operations
5. Program Topics:
What is Solar Power?
Why are People Using it?
What is it Used For?
Types of Systems
Impact on The Fire Service
Target Hazards in Your
Jurisdiction
6. Currentlyโฆ
New Jersey Is Second
Largest Solar Energy
Market In The United
States
Sussex
Passaic
Bergen
Warren
Morris
Essex
Hudson
Union
Hunterdon
Somerset
Middlesex
Mercer Monmouth
Ocean
Burlington
Camden
Atlantic
Gloucester
Salem
Cumberland
Cape
May
Note: California with 4 times
the population is
ranked #1
11. Renewable Energy Sources
WHY
State Purchase Incentives
(up to 25% of cost)
State Sales Tax Exemption
Federal Tax Credits
Lower or Non-Existent
Energy Bills
Note: Utilities Required To Buy Back Excess Solar Energy
12. Importance to New Jersey
4,709,000 Megawatt
Hours Used In One
Month
Only 36 Megawatt
Hours Were
Generated By Solar
Energy
In 2006
13. Importance to New Jersey
New Jersey also
Houses the Nationโs
Highest-Capacity &
Oldest Running
Nuclear Power Plants
(Salem & Oyster Creek)
14. Light & Radiant Heat From the Sun
that Influences Climate & Weather
Naturally Replenished - Renewable
Energy Source
Also Referred to as Solar Power Or
Photovoltaic (PV) Solar: Electricity
Generated From Solar Radiation
Solar Energy
15. Types of Solar PV Systems
Power from the Solar
System is Added to the
Normal Home Power Supply
Supplied by the Utility
Company
Grid Interconnected
17. Types of Solar PV Systems
System Components
Roof Mounted
Photovoltaic (PV) Panels
DC Energy โบAC Energy
Inverter
Solar Junction Box
Electric Meter
18. Types of Solar PV Systems
Grid Inter-Tied with Battery Backup
System - Similar to Previous System with
the Addition of a โBattery Bankโ to Store
Power Generated from Solar Panels
19. Types of Solar PV Systems
Grid Inter-Tied with Battery Backup
20. Off Grid Systems
Not Tied to Any Utility Service or Power
Lines
Main Source of Power for Building
Can Have Wind-Power, Water-Power &
Back-Up Generators Factored in to
Provide Energy at Night
Types of Solar PV Systems
21. Roof Mounted Solar
Panels
Off Grid System Components
Types of Solar PV Systems
Array DC Disconnect
Charge Controller:
Prevents
Overcharging
22. Battery Bank
Types of Solar PV Systems
Off Grid System Components
System Meter: Bank
Level, Panel Production,
House Usage
Main DC Disconnect
23. DC Energy โบAC Energy
Inverter
Types of Solar PV Systems
Off Grid System Components
Rectifier- Changes AC
Energy โบ DC Energy To
Be Stored In Battery Bank
Solar Junction Box
25. How Solar PV Systems Work
Panels Contain PV
Cells Made of Semi-
conductive Materials
Such as Silicon
The Cells Form Layers/
โWafersโ & Contain a
Positive Side &
Negative Side
26. How Solar PV Systems Work
Photovoltaic Panels
Photo Means Light
Voltaic Means Electricity
Also Commonly
Referred to as PV Panels
27. How Solar PV Systems Work
Electric Conductors
Attached to Panel
Sides Form Electric
Circuit
Sunlight Energy
Excites Electrons &
Knock Them Loose
Conductors Capture
Energy Creating an
Electrical Current
28. How Solar PV Systems Works
Direct Current
Electrical Energy is
Produced
Power Is Combined
in a โCombiner Boxโ
Or โCombination
Boxโ & Sent to
Inverter
29. How Solar PV Systems Works
Inverter: Changes DC
to AC
Information such as
Power Level, Energy
Production, & Fault
Messages can
Usually be Observed
Here
30. How Solar PV Systems Works
Combiner Box
How Solar PV Systems Works
31. How Solar PV Systems Works
Combiner Box
Conduit to Inverter
Note: Always Consider
This HOT
32. How Solar PV Systems Works
Alternating Current (AC) is
Distributed to House Service
Panel for Use. Excess Power
is Transported Back Through
the Utility Meter
42. Shock
Primary Firefighter Danger
Maximum Voltage Of A
Solar Panel System: 600
Volts (Low Voltage)
PV Hazards
Note: Nearly 300 workers die yearly
from low voltage electrical
incidents
43. Shock
PV Hazards
Note: Unlike fire, which produces burns in
a relatively predictable manner,
electricity can strike unsuspecting
victims โ sometimes fatally!
Momentary Contact With Low
DC Voltages May Produce:
Continuous Shock
Thermal Injury
Ventricular Fibrillation
45. Batteries
PV Hazards
Note: NEVER USE WATER to
Extinguish lead-acid battery
fires - Use CO2 or Dry
Chemical
As a Rule, Batteries Burn
with Great Difficulty
Batteries Exposed to Fire
Generate Extremely
Corrosive Fumes & Gases
46. Roof Collapse
PV Hazards
PV Panel โ 35 lbs
Modules & Racking
Hardware โ 4 lbs/ft2
Normal Dwelling - 40 Panels
35# Each
1,400 Pounds
Total Added Dead
Load to Roof
System
Approx. Weights
49. Roof Operations Hazards
PV Hazards
During Daytime Firefighting Operations
PV Panels Are Still Generating Electricity
Do Not Cut Into Or Walk Across Panels
Do Not Break Protective Glass
All Energy In Entire System Could Be
Released At Break Point
50. Roof Ventilation
PV Hazards
Ventilate The Highest Point Over The
Fire Without Cutting Through The PV
Array (other side of the roof)
Flat Roofs With Complete PV Coverage
Horizontal With Supplemental
Hydraulic & Positive Pressure
Ventilation
56. Remember
!
You Cannot Effectively Block
All The Sunlight With
Salvage Covers, Foam, or
Tarps During Day Time
Operations and Declare The
PV System โSafeโ
57. Remember
!
Use of spotlights during an
evening operation may be
bright enough to generate
electricity from the PV
system
59. Summary
Know Where Buildings With PV Systems Are Located
In You District.
โPreplanโ โPreplanโ โPreplanโ
Treat PV System Components As Always Energized
Adjust Your Firefighting Tactics Accordingly
Additional Information:
www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/Research/FFTacticsSolarPower.pdf
60. Remember
!
The Systems, Drawings and Pictures
depicted in this Presentation are used
for discussion purposes only. PV
Systems and their Components vary
in design, and appearance. It is
imperative that Your Department
become familiar with the systems
installed in your community.
61. !
Coordination between your Fire
Department and your
municipalities' Building and Fire
Code Officials is Essential to
identifying and understanding the
PV Systems installed in your
Community!
62. Acknowledgements
Corey J. Hullings โฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆ Delran Fire Department
Suzanne BorekโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆDivision of Codes and Standards
Richard Farletta โฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆ..Division of Fire Safety
Ken Kandrac โฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆSlackwood Fire Company
Jerry Lax โฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆ..Advanced Solar Products
NJ Board of Public UtilitiesโฆโฆClean Energy Program
James McFaddenโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆDivision of Fire Safety
