Protection From Lightning For Businesses

Each business is unique, even if they share the same industry.  Each type of business no matter what the product or service they provide are seeking a common goal, the maximization of profits through customer retention and new customer acquisition, the streamlining of operations and the reduction of costs.  As industries get more crowded with competitors offering the same products to their customers, the levels to which they operate must improve.  The market itself will eliminate those who do not provide superior products and low prices, as it has grown easier and easier to find competing businesses offering more and more to their customers.  Pressures mount to provide a better product at a lower price, and the only way for companies to reduce prices is either by reducing profit margins or improving operations. (more…)

Solar Surge Protection On Industrial Levels

Solar power production on an industrial level is accomplished using fields of solar panels which harvest sunlight in order to heat liquid within attached tubing and turn turbines.  This electricity is then captured and transported via electrical grids to customers for consumption.  While the storage and transport aspects of solar power production are much the same as the processes used by fossil fuel producers, the mechanisms deployed for solar power production are far more “high tech” than many used in the processes of extracting and burning fossil fuels.  While the high tech nature of the equipment used allows for more efficient generation, it also creates a more expensive product.  This is due to the fact that the equipment involved in the process that controls panel alignment, regulation and system analysis is computerized and highly susceptible to damage.  This equipment is attached directly to the panels via power and data cables, and electrical transients that alter the typical power flow to and from this equipment can easily overload the circuitry and cause damage or total destruction.  The costs of equipment repair and replacement, as well as the costs of downtime and non-production during peak hours as a result of damage, lead solar power to ultimately cost more than the fossil based fuel production of the same product. (more…)

Improving Solar Power With Surge Protection Devices

Improving solar production methods could be the difference that makes way for a more widespread adoption of solar power as the primary source vs. fossil fuel power.  While many countries globally have already made large scale investments into solar power in order to reduce the amount of emissions that are produced by the generation of electricity which is consumed by their populations, the United States has not.  There have been advancements towards more utilization of solar power as a production method, but widespread adoption and potential replacement of fossil fuel plants is still a long way in the future.  While adoption could be sped up through technological advancements that would solve several critical issues, government investment into these technologies has been slow to progress.  Naturally, a lot of this has to do with the lobbying power of the major energy fossil fuel producers, in order to stagnate any kind of competitive disruptor, (more…)

Surge Protection Device Integration Into Solar Power Systems

Surge protection devices must be integrated into the systems that produce power using photovoltaic components.  This is important for residential customers to understand as the interest in solar power grows amongst homeowners.  Over the course of the last 10 years we’ve seen an explosion in the interest in installation of solar panels onto the roof areas of private homes.  This provides that residence with the ability to generate its own power and sell excess electricity back to the local power company in the area.  It is well documented that the savings that can be seen on electric bills within homes utilized solar power production devices will offset the price of the installation of the system itself within only a few years. (more…)

Wind Turbine Blades Are Not The Biggest Expense

There are some equipment repair and replacement costs associated with the operation of a wind farm that can create insurance issues.  Just like with solar power production and the ongoing push to manufacture less expensive solar panels in order to reduce replacement costs, wind turbines also have damage issues that must be addressed.  There are cases where wind power producers have found it difficult to secure adequate insurance against natural damage to their equipment, simply due to the physical makeup and positioning of those components. (more…)

A crucial component that must be figured into the systems of solar power generation is surge protection, if the business is going to be shielded from weather related damage costs.   Solar farms primarily utilize a photovoltaic (PV) system in order to produce energy. These systems have the ongoing issue of being subject to weather related damage simply due to their exposure to the elements and physical makeup.  Wear and tear on exposed components by wind, dust, dirt and rain is difficult to avoid, however a far more serious potential for damage resides in the occurrence of lightning strikes to panels or connected equipment.  The expected deterioration of exposed system components can be figured into the cost of ongoing operations, and can be reduced through the manufacture of more robust panels, however the damage caused by lightning strikes is both far more severe and far more preventable through the integration of advanced surge protection devices (SPD) into the PV system.

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Solar energy production represents an exciting opportunity to turn the tide from fossil fuel heavy fuels which are not renewable, to the renewable energy provided by the sun.  The reason there is so much potential for growth in these renewables is because of our ability to advance and improve solar energy production through the use of technology.  Advancements within new technologies provides the ability to lower production costs, store the energy produced for longer periods of time without substantial loss, transport the product across longer distances, and produce the product with less environmental impact.  The ability to identify softness in the process and improve it with technological advances creates a landscape of infinite possibilities for new energy. (more…)

Wind farm operators will often worry about their inability to secure adequate insurance coverage.  This is because when insurance companies, after assessing risk factors involved in the daily operation of a wind power generating facility, realize that the risks associated with lightning strike are far greater than what they typically underwrite.  Essentially, the risk of equipment damage exposed to harsh weather may be within the guidelines of what is acceptable, but the unique makeup of wind farm structures adds an additional damage rider to policies that increases the costs and potentially makes the farm impossible to insure by the owner. (more…)

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/lightning-surge-protection-for-residential-and-commercial-applications/

When laypeople think about surge protection, they generally have in mind the surge strips that are sold at electronics stores.  These devices are simplistic versions of surge protection equipment which is utilized on an industrial level.  The functionality of these types of devices is lower quality when compared to the designs and technology that are involved in industrial surge protection devices.  Residential SPDs work more like the breaker box and circuit breakers, which simply switch off all power flow if it exceeds a specific amount.  A surge strip acts as a buffer in between the circuit box and the component inside of the residence or business, providing a redundant system which will cut off all power flow to the components which are plugged in to it.  These types of devices are generally satisfactory for home use, because the value of the equipment which is being used and potentially being damaged by the power surge is minimal.  As times change, we find that the modern smart home is using far more advanced and expensive equipment, (more…)