How to protect a PV system from lightning discharges?

In case that a PV installation is protected against lightning discharges by an external LPS, the above distance s between the PV equipment and the parts of the LPS should be respected, in order to avoid sharing of discharge currents through the metallic components of the PV system.

What are surge protection devices (SPDs) in a PV plant?

At PV plants, SPDs have to fulfil specific requirements to ensure continuous operation and energy generation. When designing a PV plant, it is important to consider the installation of surge protection devices (SPDs). Surges and network disturbances can lead to downtime, reducing the performance of the plant.

How to protect solar power plants from lightning?

The work recommended the mesh-type air termination instead of vertical rods to reduce mechanical damage and avoid the shadow effect. To assess the external lightning protection and the earthing systems design in the large-scale solar power plants, the methods and models were also presented [ 38 ].

Why do electrical designers need to protect solar energy systems?

As demand for solar energy increases, electrical designers need to understand the requirements for protecting these systems.

What happens if a PV system is not protected against lightning?

Many PV systems may not be properly protected against lightning. Due to this exposure, the PV systems may be liable to suffer a crucial impact in a way that can lead towards severe damage for instances; failure of the electrical and electronic parts in the building or PV installation and disruption of their normal operation.

How will a lightning protection system affect PV power generation?

All this kind of destruction will undoubtedly affect the economic aspects or the return on investment that could be earned from PV power generation as well as the cost of repair or replacement to recover from the damage, all of which can be mitigated by implementing a lightning protection system (LPS) .