Photo-Voltaic-Panels-Fire-Safety-PVStop

PRESENTATION
May 2023
DC DANGER ZONE
SOLAR PANELS
CANNOT BE
SWITCHED OFF
MARKET OVERVIEW
1.2 million Incidents involving solar First Responders have

PV installations panels have grown by two options:
in the UK >500% in the past 3 years 1. Risk their lives
*FRNSW Data 2. Let properties burn
GROWING GLOBALMARKET
Understand the nature of solar PV
systems. How do they work?
What goes wrong with them?
todays Investigate the risks associated
Objectives
with the ”DC Danger Zone”.
Product benefits + Data + Statistics

+Recommendations
How does this impact your SOP’s?

electricity WATTS = VOLTS x AMPS
A GPO (power outlet) puts out

230 volts @ 10 amps = 2300 watts
or 2.3kw.
Watts = the unit of power.
Remove either volts or amps and

you have no electricity.
230 volts x 0 amps = 0 watts.
Understanding
theproblem
AC (Alternating Current)
AC
Can be remotely detected,
flows or vibrates The frequency (or
easily switched off and it is A GPO (power outlet) puts
backwards and forward hertz) is 50 cycles
Electricity
easier to disconnect (if out 2.3kW of electricity.
at what is called a per second.
electrocuted).
frequency.
Cannot be remotely
DC DC (Direct Current) flows
in one direction only
DC has no
frequency.
detected, arcs when
switched and involuntary
A average domestic solar
PV system put out 4-6kW
Electricity (from source to load). “lock-on” (if electrocuted). of electricity.
Solar panels cannot beswitched off as long as they are

exposed to light
AS/NZ standard -effects of dc
PV = Photo Voltaic (Light Electricity).
Each solar cell produces = 0.6 volts.
Size of the solar cell dictates amps.
Solar cells connected in series =

solar panel (1w – 600w+).
Solar panels connected in series =

a string.
A solar system can consist of

multiple strings connected in
parallel.
3 Types ofSolar (PV)systems
GRID
OFF-GRID HYBRID
INTERACTIVE
Most commonly seen on Traditionally located in remote Also called grid connected
domestic homes, factories, areas where grid power is not battery back up. The latest
commercial buildings and available or expensive. technology that is driving the
most solar farms. battery storage revolution.
Grid interactive system
Grid interactive schematic
Physical Damage
Vermin Damage
Reasons for
Weather events such as lightning,
hail & water ingression
System failure Poor workmanship - installation
Component failure - degradation
A solar panel will still produce power (at a reduced rate)

even if the panel is damaged
burnt isolation switch
water ingression & flooding
hail damage
exposed wiring & re-ignition
Recent incidents
Apple Data Centre, Mesa Arizona
Commercial Warehouse, East Farmingdale Long Island

Recent incidents
Walmart, Beaver Creek, Colorado
IKEA, Conshohocken, Philadelphia

Recent incidents
FDNY - Staten Island, Off-Grid EV Charging Station

Wiring from the solar panel to the
The DC
inverter.
Danger Potential for fire, electric shock
Zone
and fall from height.
No safe reliable means of isolation

(unlike typical electricity).
Standard emergency response

procedure is to cover with tarps or
treat defensively (don’t engage).
Existing Pvsafety TECHNOLOGIES
Rapid Shutdown (Micro-

Isolation Switches Anti-Arcing Equipment
inverters) & DC Optimisers
None solve the current problem!

So how do you turn off solar panels?
You shut off the light.

Light is the source of the power.
State-of-the-art polymer film
technology.
It is sprayed on like a “liquid tarp”
Non flammable & fire retardant
THE
SOLUTION Non-conductive & anti-arcing
Encases toxic nanoparticles
Peels off / no damage
THE Environmentally friendly
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
DELIVERY
PORTABLE DRONE APPLICATION
PRESSURE VESSEL For application on high-rise
hard-to-reach, or large scale
& BULK locations
Hand-held extinguisher
supplied as filled canisters
or bulk product for self-fill
testing & ETV Statement of Verification Issued and
published 2017. Upgraded to ISO
14034:2016 in 2019
compliance
TUV Laboratory testing completed,
reconfirming the results achieved by BRE
Global
Fire Propagation Test (BS476-6)

Surface Spread of Flame Test (BS476-7)
(Both test completed by BRE Global)
BRE Global issue a Class 0 Rating.

The Highest product performance
classification for lining materials.
Smoke & Toxicity Tests (EN 45545-2 2013)

Test result 9 x lower than required “pass” result.
Safe to utilize on underground trains.
• PFAS/PFOS/PFOA testing completed by

Envirolabs Australia.
• Environmental testing completed by EPA
NSW
Firefighter injuries directly related to solar
panels recorded in Switzerland, the UK and the
US.
Research conducted by BRE Global in the UK

shows that here have been 9 injuries recorded
across 58 logged incidents involving solar
panels.
Data & 2 Firefighters were injured by solar panels in

San Francisco in December 2015 (news report
available).
statistics The first fatality directly attributed to solar

panels occurred in Dubai in July 2018.
LATEST NEWS -UK
• The London Fire Brigade (LFB) were the first Top 5 Global
Fire Brigade to roll-out PVSTOP.
• 21 of 40 UK Fire Brigades now using PVSTOP.
• LFB recently added PVSTOP to the organisation’s

automatic replenishment system which will see recurring
orders increase across the entire organisation.
• Learnings from PVSTOP operational case studies have

been accepted by the UK Fire Brigade National
Operational Learning Group (NOL) and will be intergrated
into the National Operational Guidance (NOG) Program.
LATEST NEWS -SINGAPORE
• Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) are the most
influential Fire & Emergency Services agency in Asia.
PVSTOP is now standard equipment on all Fire Trucks in
Singapore.
• PVSTOP has been tested & evaluated by PUB –

Singapore’s National Water Agency and approved for
use on the 60KW Tengeh Drinking water reservoir.
• SCDF have facilitated amendments to the Singapore

National Fire Code to mandate “an isolating coating
medium” for all PV installations in Singapore.
• The Fire Code amendments will be implemented in late

2023.
LATEST NEWS -US
• The New York Fire Department (FDNY) have adopted
PVSTOP as standard equipment on all HAZMAT
appliances.
• The first operational use by FDNY was at a new incident

type, an off-grid electric vehicle charging station fire on
Staton Island, New York.
• PVSTOP are now taking orders from hundreds of Fire

Departments across the US.
• PVSTOP have been invited by FDNY to be the key solar

safety partner at the inaugural Alternative Energy Safety
Symposium at the Javits Centre NY in 2024 (14,000
attendees).
Ask
yourself
Do properties have the
right resources and a safe
system of work?
Utrecht incident Netherlands –
Pre-emptive application
London Fire Brigade –
PVSTop Deployed to save school
London Fire Brigade –
PVSTop Deployed to terraced house
Origin energy australia–
Post incident application
Standard operating procedures
When to deploy PVSTOP?
• Pre-emptive application
• During incident operations.
• Post incident application
• PV system owner responsibilities? - Commercial, Industrial

and Utility scale PV system owners.

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PRESENTATION

1.2 million Incidents involving solar First Responders have

What goes wrong with them?

todays Investigate the risks associated

Product benefits + Data + Statistics

How does this impact your SOP’s?

A GPO (power outlet) puts out

Watts = the unit of power.

Remove either volts or amps and

Solar panels cannot beswitched off as long as they are

Each solar cell produces = 0.6 volts.

Size of the solar cell dictates amps.

Solar cells connected in series =

Solar panels connected in series =

A solar system can consist of

System failure Poor workmanship - installation

Component failure - degradation

A solar panel will still produce power (at a reduced rate)

Commercial Warehouse, East Farmingdale Long Island

IKEA, Conshohocken, Philadelphia

FDNY - Staten Island, Off-Grid EV Charging Station

Danger Potential for fire, electric shock

No safe reliable means of isolation

Standard emergency response

Rapid Shutdown (Micro-

None solve the current problem!

You shut off the light.

It is sprayed on like a “liquid tarp”

Non flammable & fire retardant

Peels off / no damage

THE Environmentally friendly

Fire Propagation Test (BS476-6)

BRE Global issue a Class 0 Rating.

Smoke & Toxicity Tests (EN 45545-2 2013)

• PFAS/PFOS/PFOA testing completed by

Research conducted by BRE Global in the UK

Data & 2 Firefighters were injured by solar panels in

statistics The first fatality directly attributed to solar

• 21 of 40 UK Fire Brigades now using PVSTOP.

• LFB recently added PVSTOP to the organisation’s

• Learnings from PVSTOP operational case studies have

• PVSTOP has been tested & evaluated by PUB –

• SCDF have facilitated amendments to the Singapore

• The Fire Code amendments will be implemented in late

• The first operational use by FDNY was at a new incident

• PVSTOP are now taking orders from hundreds of Fire

• PVSTOP have been invited by FDNY to be the key solar

• During incident operations.

• Post incident application

• PV system owner responsibilities? - Commercial, Industrial

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