solar energy and the fire service

7/27/2019 Solar Energy and the Fire Service

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Important

!

The Systems, Drawings And Pictures

Depicted In This Presentation AreUsed For Discussion Purposes Only.

PV Systems And Their Components

Vary In Design, And Appearance. It Is

Imperative That Your DepartmentBecome Familiar With The Systems

Installed In Your Community.


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!

Coordination Between Your Fire

Department And Your

Municipalities' Building And FireCode Officials Is Essential To

Understanding &Identifying PV

Systems Installed In Your

Community!


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http://www.knowingtheworld.com/clipart/fire/Fire%20Trucks/a_pumper1.html


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Program Goals:To Prov ide Firef igh ters

wi th an Awareness o fPhotovol taic Systems so

Info rmed Fire Ground

Decis ion s can be Appl ied

for Safe FiregroundOperat ions


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Program Topics:What is Solar Power?

Why are Peop le Using i t?What is i t Used For?

Types of Sys tems

Impact on The Fire Serv iceTarget Hazards in Your

Jur isd ic t ion


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Currently

New Jersey Is Second

Largest Solar Energy

Market In The United

States

SussexPassaic

Bergen

Warren

Morris

EssexHudson

Union

Hunterdon

Somerset

Middlesex

Mercer Monmouth

OceanBurlington

Camden

Atlantic

Gloucester

Salem

Cumberland

CapeMay

Note: Cal i forn ia w ith 4 timesthe popu lat ion is

ranked #1


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NJ Installations

2001 = 6

2006 = 12+

2009 = 4000+

2011 =>9000

SussexPassaic

Bergen

Warren

Morris

EssexHudson

Union

Hunterdon

Somerset

Middlesex

Mercer Monmouth

OceanBurlington

Camden

Atlantic

Gloucester

Salem

Cumberland

CapeMay


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SussexPassaic

Bergen

Warren

Morris

Essex

Hudson

Union

Hunterdon

Somerset

Middlesex

Mercer Monmouth

Ocean

Burlington

Camden

Atlantic

Gloucester

Salem

Cumberland

CapeMay

2011 - Over 9,000

Why Does it Concern Us

Equates toAbou t 15 PerMunic ipal i ty


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Theyre in Your Town!!!!



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Theyre in Your Town!!!!



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Renewable Energy SourcesWHY

State Purchase Incen tives(up to 25% of cost)

State Sales Tax Exemption

Federal Tax Cred its

Lower or Non -ExistentEnergy Bi l ls

Note: Utilities Required To Buy Back Excess Solar Energy


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Importance to New Jersey

4,709,000 MegawattHours Used In One

Month

Only 36 Megawatt

Hours Were

Generated By So lar

Energy

In 2006


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Importance to New Jersey

New Jersey also

Houses the NationsHighest-Capacity &

Oldest Running

Nuc lear Power Plan ts

(Salem & Oyster Creek)


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Light & Radiant Heat From the Sun

that Inf luences Climate & Weather

Naturally Replenished - Renewable

Energy Sou rce

A lso Referred to as Solar Power Or

Pho tovoltaic (PV) Solar: Electr ic i ty

Generated From Solar Radiat ion

Solar Energy


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Types of Solar PV Systems

Power from the SolarSystem is Added to the

Normal Home Power Supply

Supp l ied by the Ut il i ty

Company

Grid Interconnected


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Types of Solar PV SystemsSystem

Components


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Types of Solar PV SystemsSystem Components

Roof Mounted

Pho tovo ltaic (PV) Panels

DC EnergyAC Energy

Inverter

Solar Junc t ion Box

Electr ic Meter
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ramblinwithrasdal.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/electricmeter1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://gazetteonline.com/bloggers/ramblin-with-rasdal/2009/04/07/read-your-own-meter&usg=__wZz6zUaKOZJVEgasNPJ9n7UQyTw=&h=640&w=612&sz=106&hl=en&start=170&um=1&tbnid=wyejNKziclq_qM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3Delectric%2Bmeters%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4LENT_enUS316US316%26sa%3DN%26start%3D162%26um%3D1http://www.dmsolar.com/solar-module-1156.html


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Types of Solar PV Sys tems

Grid Inter-Tied with Battery Backup

System - Sim i lar to Previou s System w ith

the Addition of a Battery Bank to StorePower Generated from Solar Panels


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Grid Inter-Tied with Battery Backup


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Off Grid SystemsNot Tied to Any Uti l ity Service or Power

Lines

Main Sou rce of Power for Bu i ld ing

Can Have Wind-Power, Water-Pow er &

Back-Up Generators Factored in to

Provide Energy at Nigh t



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Roof Mounted Solar

Panels

Off Grid System Components


Array DC Disconnect

Charge Con tro l ler:

PreventsOvercharging


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Battery Bank



System Meter: BankLevel, Panel Produc t ion ,

House Usage

Main DC Disconnect


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DC EnergyAC EnergyInverter



Rect i f ier- Changes AC

Energy DC Energy ToBe Stored In Battery Bank

Solar Junc t ion Box


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Generator Junct ion Box



Power Meter


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How Solar PV Systems Work

Panels Contain PV

Cells Made of Semi-

conduc t ive Materials

Such as Si l icon

The Cel ls Form Layers/

Wafers & Contain aPosit ive Side &Negative Side


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How Solar PV Systems Work

Photo vo l taic Panels

Pho to Means Light

Vo ltaic Means Electr ici ty

Also Commonly

Referred to as PV Panels


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How Solar PV Systems WorkElectr ic Conductors

A ttached to Panel

Sides Form Electr icCircui t

Sunl igh t Energy

Exci tes Electrons &

Knock Them Loose

Conductors Capture

Energy Creat ing an

Electr ical Current


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How Solar PV Systems WorksDirect Current

Electr ical Energy is

Produced

Power Is Combined

in a Combiner Box

Or CombinationBox & Sent toInverter


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How Solar PV Systems WorksInverter: Changes DC

to AC

Informat ion such as

Power Level, Energy

Product ion , & Faul t

Messages canUsually be Observed

Here


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How Solar PV Systems Works

Combiner Box



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Combiner Box

Condu i t to Inverter

Note: Always Consider

ThisHOT


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A lternat ing Curren t (AC) is

Distr ibu ted to House Service

Panel fo r Use. Excess Power

is Transported Back Through

the Uti l i ty Meter


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Mount ing

Bol ts

Solar Panel Mounting Systems


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Grid Tracks

Solar Panel Mounting Systems
http://www.solarkent.co.uk/installation%202/images/P1000321_JPG.jpghttp://www.solarkent.co.uk/installation%202/images/P1000296_JPG.jpg


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Flat Roof Mounting Systems

Weigh ted o r

BallastedSystem


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Flat Roof Mounting Systems

Bolted

Through orAnchored

System


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Integrated Roof Systems

Virtually impossible to tell from the ground.

This is why preplanning is so important.


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Preplanning is Essential

Some

SystemsUnident i f iable

from Street


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SystemsDiffer


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Disconnect

Locat ions

Vary


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PV HazardsShock Hazards

Batteries

Roo f Col lapse

Trip hazards

Roo f Venti lat ion


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ShockPrimary Firef ighter Danger

Maximum Voltage Of ASolar Panel Sys tem: 600

Volts(Low Voltage)

PV Hazards

Note: Nearly 300 workers die yearlyfrom low voltage electricalincidents


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Shock

PV Hazards

Note: Unlike fire, which produces burns ina relatively predictable manner,electricity can strike unsuspectingvictims sometimes fatally!

Momentary Contact With Low

DC Voltages May Produce:

Cont inuous ShockThermal Inju ry

Ventr icu lar Fibri l lat ion


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Inhalation

PV Hazards

Protect

Yourselves

Use Your

SCBA


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Batteries

PV Hazards

Note: NEVER USE WATERtoExtinguish lead-acid batteryfires - Use CO2or DryChemical

As a Rule, Batter ies Burn

w ith Great Diff icu l ty

Batter ies Exposed to Fire

Generate Extremely

Corros ive Fumes & Gases


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Roof Collapse

PV Hazards

PV Panel 35 lbs

Modules & Racking

Hardware4 lbs /f t2

Normal Dwel ling -40 Panels

35#Each

1,400 Pounds

Total Added Dead

Load to RoofSystem

Approx. Weights


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Other Hazards

PV Hazards

Trip Hazards


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Electrical Hazards

PV Hazards

PV WiringHarness is

CONSIDEREDALWAYS HOT


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Roof Operations Hazards

PV Hazards

During Dayt ime Firef ight ing Operat ions

PV Panels Are Sti l l Generating Electr ici ty

Do Not Cut Into Or Walk Acro ss Panels

Do Not B reak Pro tect ive Glass

All Energy In Ent i re System Cou ld Be

Released A t B reak Po int


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Roof Ventilation

PV Hazards

Venti late The Highest Poin t Over The

Fire Withou t Cutt ing Through The PV

Array (other side of the roo f)

Flat Roo fs With Complete PV Coverage

Horizon tal With Supplemental

Hydraul ic & Posi t ive PressureVenti lation


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Firefighting Operations

The IC Mus t Notify

Firef igh ters of the

Presence of Solar Arrays


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Firefighting OperationsLock & Tag Ou t Array at

Inverter

DC Disconnect

Main Electr ical Panel


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Firefighting Operations

Use Class CExtingu ishing Agents-

CO2Or Dry Chemical

PV Array Fire

CAUTION:SYSTEM IS ENERGIZED


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Firefighting OperationsRoof Fire

CAUTION:SYSTEM IS ENERGIZED

Use Water Fog Patternon the PV Ar ray


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Remember

Treat

All Systems

as EnergizedRegardless of Time

of Day

!


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Remember

!

You Cannot Effectively Block

All The Sunlight WithSalvage Covers, Foam, or

Tarps During Day Time

Operations and Declare ThePV System Safe


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Remember

!

Use of spotlights during an

evening operation may be

bright enough to generate

electricity from the PV

system


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PV Technology AdvancementsPV Integrated Shingles


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SummaryKnow Where Bu i ld ings With PV Systems A re Located

In You Distr ic t .

Preplan Preplan Preplan

Treat PV System Components As Always Energized

Ad just You r Firef ight ing Tact ics Acco rdingly

Addi t ional Inform ation:

www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/Research/FFTacticsSolarPower.pdf


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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.


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!

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!


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Acknowledgements

Corey J. Hullings Delran Fire Department

Suzanne BorekDivision of Codes and Standards

Richard Farletta ..Division of Fire Safety

Ken Kandrac Slackwood Fire Company

Jerry Lax ..Advanced Solar Products

NJ Board of Public UtilitiesClean Energy Program

James McFaddenDivision of Fire Safety


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