Related studies, including those by Envaris and Trust-PV, show that the human factor is commonly the most significant weak point in installation and maintenance. A detailed analysis carried out by Energynet and Envaris has determined the five most common causes of damage to photovoltaic systems.
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The causes include fire damage, storm damage, lightning strikes, snow pressure and theft. However, the analysis of Trust-PV’s on the reliability and safety of solar systems goes even further.
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A key part of their findings is based on the project Solar Bankability: Here, the authors studied the technical risks of photovoltaic projects using tried and tested methods for professional risk assessment. The results in a nutshell: modules, inverters and cabling are by some way the components most frequently affected by malfunctions. At the same time, related incidents are more likely to cause subsequent expensive failures that impact the productivity of facilities.
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40 percent of electrical installations are non-conforming
Over a third of costs and more than 40 percent of malfunctions are directly attributable to faulty electrical installations. This includes cable protection, cable connections, cable fastening and general cable workmanship. A further 15 percent of costs and a quarter of malfunctions can be traced back to the use of incorrectly applied or insufficient materials in electrical installation.
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The two studies clearly indicate that the expertise and diligence of the individuals carrying out the work are decisive for the system as a whole. Meticulous planning and the use of high-quality components can prevent a great deal of damage further down the road. Equally important for high system reliability and prevention of interruptions are professional installation, regular maintenance and custom adaptation of protection measures. (HS/TF)
Free white paper for safe operations of facilities: The expert authors at EMC-direct have prepared the white paper "Knowing and avoiding common causes of damage to photovoltaic systems" to raise awareness of high quality standards in the assembly and electrical installation of PV systems. Download the white paper for free here (German language)
The author: Thaddäus Nagy is the Executive Director of EMC-direct. In the last two years alone, Nagy and his team have been involved in the construction of numerous large-scale open-air systems across Europe. Products from the specialist supplier for cable protection and fastening technologies, based in Dorsten near Gelsenkirchen have been used among others in large solar projects in Austria and Denmark.
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