PV and Fire Brigade Safety: No Panic, but Realistic Assessment of Danger and Possible Countermeasures

Recently it was reported in several media that some fire brigades do not dare any more to fight against fires at houses with PV, as at such PV plants even at night under faint illumination (e.g. the light of the full moon or the searchlight of the fire brigade) there would be a lethal electrical shock hazard due to high DC voltages. This is exaggerated and based on a lack of knowledge of the properties of PV plants and the hazard due to the DC currents present in such plants. In this contribution we try to supply the necessary information for a realistic assessment of the danger that actually exists in such plants. Technical solutions for a reduction of this danger and their consequences for the operation of PV plants are also discussed. By marking all houses with PV plants with a special identification plate and by special training for officers of the fire brigade, an appropriate assessment of the effective danger and an appropriate fight against the fire should be possible.