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Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V. (BSW-Solar)
Fire safety in planning, installation and
maintenance of PV systems
Watford, July 12th, 2011
DisclaimerThese slides show selected aspects of the technical guidelines developed in the project
"Fire Safety Guidelines for Planning, Installation and Maintenance of PV Systems."
Nevertheless, please bear in mind that no liability can be assumed for the correctness of
content and the applicability of these guidelines in individual situations. It is therefore
essential to undertake a thorough check of the conditions and regulations that apply to each
planned project. The information and recommendations provided in these technical
guidelines are based on installation scenarios and the legal framework as they currently
exist in Germany. They have been coordinated with the Consortium of Heads of Fire
Departments in Germany (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Leiter der Berufsfeuerwehren in
Deutschland - AGBF Bund). The guidelines have been compiled with the support of the
German Solar Industry (BSW-Solar), the German Association of Planners and Technical
Experts in Preventive Fire Protection (Bundesvereinigung der Fachplaner und
Sachverständigen im vorbeugenden Brandschutz e.V. – BFSB), the Munich Fire
Department (Berufsfeuerwehr München), the International Solar Energy Society, German
Section (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sonnenenergie e.V. - DGS) and the Central Association
of German Electrical and Information Technology Industry (Zentralverband der Deutschen
Elektro- und Informationstechnischen Handwerke - ZVEH).
© BSW-Solar
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Overview
• Brief introduction of BSW-Solar
• Development of the technical guidelines
• Planning, installation and maintenance of PV systems - fundamentals
• The four tenets of fire safety for planning, installation and maintenance
– Structural fire protection
– Protection from exposed voltage inside the building
– Access for fire extinguishing operations outside the building
– Information for emergency workers
• Conclusion and outlook
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4
Why does the German experience matter?
Development of the German PV market4
06/6/2011 ©
BSW-Solar
3 3 3 3 4 7 12 10 12 42 78 118 139
670
951843
1.271
1.809
3.806
7.408
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010*
annually installed cumulated installed
Market Data Photovoltaics in Germany 2010*
Newly installed power 7,400 MWp
Total installed power 17,200 MWp
Solar electricity produced 12,000 GWh
No. of all systems installed 860,000
Employees 130,000(Source: BSW -Solar)
* Preliminary figures, rounded, 3/2011
Milestones
1991: First Feed-in Law (FIT with low tariffs)
1991-1995: 1,000 roofs program (grants)
1999-2003: 100,000 roofs program (loans)
2000: Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) (FIT)
2004 +2009: Amendment (revision) of EEG (FIT)
2010: Amendment (revision) of EEG (FIT)
PV electricity growing
German PV-electricity production in GWh (2010/2011)
5Quelle: UNB, EEX, eigene Berechnungen BSW-Solar
PV-electricity production: + 88 percent in the first 6 months compared to 2010
2011 PV will cover 3 percent of demand in Germany
237
4 4 8
78 2
1.134 1.157
1.429
1.670
1.3721.263
98 1
4 4 2
274370
711
1.665
2 .243
2 .597
2 .173
0
500
1.000
1.500
2.000
2.500
3.000
Jan Feb Mrz Apr Mai Jun Jul Aug Sep Okt Nov Dez
in G
Wh
2010
2011
6German Solar Industry Association
TASK To represent the German solar industry in the solar
thermal and photovoltaic sector
VISION A global sustainable energy supply provided by solar
(renewable) energy
ACTIVITIES Lobbying, political advice, public relations, market
observation, standardization
EXPERIENCE Active in the solar energy sector for over 30 years
MEMBERS More than 900 solar producers, suppliers, wholesalers,
installers and other companies active in the solar
business
HEADQUARTERS Berlin
6
06/6/2011 ©
BSW-Solar
Development of the technical guidelines
• Motives: public discussions, uncertainty among all parties concerned,
contradictory information
• 2009: Project kickoff workshop
• Project "PV Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting” – Covered by Adrian
• Objective: Bundling of answers on the topic; developing packages of
measures
• Participants: Fire departments, fire protection experts, manufacturers
of components, planners, installers, insurance companies and
associations, employer's liability insurance association
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Planning, installation and maintenance
of PV systems – fundamentals(a)
• Construction and mounting of substructure
based on EN1991 et al.,
• electrical installation,
based on DIN VDE 0100-712, DINVDE 0100-410 et al.,
• protection against lightning,
based on DIN VDE 0185-305 parts1-4 et al.,
• commissioning test,
based on DIN VDE 0100-600, DIN EN 62446 and BGV A3 §5 et al.,
• identification and documentation, system handover and briefing,
based on DIN EN 62446, §633 BGB, §12 VOB/B et al.,
• maintenance,
in accordance with DIN 31051, DIN VDE 0105-100 and BGV A3 et al. © BSW-Solar
8
Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V. (BSW-Solar)
Technical Guidelines for Installers
David Wedepohl, Juni 2011
Planning, installation and maintenance
of PV systems – fundamentals(b)
Electrical cable systems present the following risks:
emergence of fire, as a result of the electrical installation
flammable wiring (fire load)
spread of fire (thermal conduction)
© BSW-Solar
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The four tenets – brief overview
1. Structural fire protection – prevent the fire from spreading
2. Protection from exposed conductors inside the building
3. Access for fire extinguishing operations outside the building
4. Information for emergency workers
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1
42
3
1. Structural fire protection (a)
• Primary goal: preventing a fire from spreading to neighboring fire
compartments
Mechanisms of fire progagation © BSW-Solar
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1. Structural fire protection (b)
• Basic principle: The function of firewalls and dividing walls may not be
diminished.
• Requirements from relevant building regulations: classification as "rigid
roofing" and use of materials with a B2 building materials category
("Normal Combustibility") according to DIN 4102.
• Distances between rooftop constructions and firewalls depend on the
fire behavior of the respective materials.
Unterschiedliche Ausführung von Brandwänden
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1. Structural fire protection (c)
• Conclusion for installation of PV systems:
– Modules or cables may not be built over/across firewalls (cable
channels must be shielded in accordance with MLAR guidelines)
– Firewalls must extend at least 30 cm above the upper edge
of the PV generator or
– Clearance distances to firewalls must be observed
• Recommended clearance distance for systems with parallel arrays on
rooftops:
– distance between firewalls or dividing wall and the entire generator
construction: 1.25 meters
– If modules fulfill requirements for rigid roofing and the substructure
is made of non-combustible material, the distance can be reduced
to 0.5 meters.
• Systems integrated into the roof, which meet requirements for rigid
roofing, can be built up to the edge of the firewall.
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2. Protection from exposed conductors
inside the building (a)
Protection target:
• As a rule, the installation of PV systems
may not, in case of fire, lead to exposed
DC voltage conductors inside the
building; it must be possible for rescue
and firefighting operations to be safely
carried out in the building.
• This is achieved through:
– structural or
– technical or
– organizational
measures.
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2. Protection from exposed conductors
inside the building (b)
Possibility 1
• Safe routing of non-disconnectable
DC power cables in the building through:
– in-wall cabling (according to MLAR)
– sheathing of DC cabling
with fireproof cladding
– routing of DC cabling through
fireproof conduits and ducts
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Example of fireproof conduit
made by Adolf Würth GmbH
& Co. KG
2. Protection from exposed conductors
inside the building (c)
Important:
When power cables are routed through existing conduits, these must be
clearly marked. According to building law, a disused flue is considered a
cable/services conduit.
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Non-disconnectable DC
power cables inside the
building that are longer than
1 meter should have fire-
resistant routing
2. Protection from exposed conductors
inside the building (d)
Possibility 2
• Routing of DC cables OUTSIDE the building.
In this case, the following must be observed:
– DC power cables must be easy for emergency workers to identify
(e.g. in the "General Plan for Emergency Workers")
– During operations, no damage to cable or insulation may come
about
– Routing of DC power cables away from, or separated from, escape
routes and access routes for emergency workers
– Routing of DC power cables away from areas where water may
collect
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2. Protection from exposed conductors
inside the building (e)
Possibility 3
• Inverters located outdoors or directly at building entry points. This
means: Inside the building, there are only disconnectable AC cables.
In this case, the following must be observed:
– Inverters must be installed away from escape routes and access
routes for emergency workers
– Inverters must be installed so they are protected from the weather
– Required IP Code must be observed
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2. Protection from exposed conductors
inside the building (f)
Possibility 4
• DC disconnect switch in the string cable/main cable
In this case, the following must be observed:
– Long-term reliability, consistent with weather and climate
conditions
– Failsafe behavior of switch
– Safeguard system to prevent restart
– Trip-switch at building's main power supply
– Switch state clearly identifiable
– Clear identification of switch
and disconnected areas
– Synchronous switching of
inverter circuit breaker due to
hazard of discharge surge
– … © BSW-Solar
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Protection (installation examples)
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3. Access for fire extinguishing
operations outside the building (a)
• Prerequisite for firefighting operations:
Emergency workers must have access to fire source
¬ Inside attack: Protection against exposed conductors inside the
building
¬ Outside attack: Access to roof
• Escape routes
– serve primarily as possibilities of escape and rescue
– serve additionally as access routes for emergency workers
• Observe minimum requirements for access and clearance
Allow 1 meter safety clearance from electrically conductive
components (in accordance with DIN VDE 0132)
e.g. size of "fire escape window": clearance width 90 cm and
clearance height 120 cm© BSW-Solar
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3. Access for fire extinguishing
operations outside the building (b)
• Different access possibilities to roof
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Access via north side without panels Access via gable window
Access strips on roof covered on both sides or mono-pitch roof without gable window
3. Access for fire extinguishing
operations outside the building (c)
• Different access possibilities to roof
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For smaller flat roofs without any other
access possibilities - access strip on the
long side (one access strip is
recommended for arrays up to 20 m wide)
For large flat roofs, access should be
guaranteed for each fire compartment (in
general, 40 x 40 meters) all around the
generators. The width of access strips should
be no less than 1 meter.
4. Information for emergency workers
• Provide emergency workers with a
quick overview
– near the building's junction box
• Indicator sign
• General plan for
emergency workers
– Supplement existing fire
response plans with PV
installation information
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Key information- Areas containing voltage-carrying components
- Safe and protected areas
- Location of DC disconnect-switch
Conclusion
• Simple measures are enough to ensure fire safety in the planning,
installation and maintenance of PV systems.
• There is currently no single answer to all questions regarding every
installation scenario A close monitoring of the installation situation
by planners and installers is necessary
• Planners and installers are called upon to put into practice the
recommended technical guidelines for fire safety in planning,
installation and maintenance
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Outlook
• Further dissemination and application of technical guidelines
• Missing answers to individual questions are currently being sought via
norms and standards or by the industry itself
• Industry is working on solutions to disconnectability
of DC circuit testing specifications
are necessary to prevent subsequent
dismantling of unsuitable solutions
• Building regulations requirements:
"rigid roofing" and at least
Class B2 building materials
("Normal Combustibility")
according to DIN 4102
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Thank you
for your attention!
Contact:
David Wedepohl, Departmental Director Market & Communikation
Christian Brennig, Project Manager Technology
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