PV Protection Of Solar Systems
Read More: https://www.raycap.com/photovoltaic-surge-protection-explained/
The invention of solar power production is one of the most important developments of our life concerning improving people’s ability to access electricity. Although some refuse to believe this, our systems of producing electricity by burning fossil fuels cannot be sustained forever. Many people think fossil fuels are also contributing to climate change, which everyone agrees is destroying the quality of life for many people. The obvious impacts of the current methods of power production are pollution and changes to the climate, where burning fossil fuels creates dirty air that often is not safe to breathe. This “air pollution” leads to cancers and other respiratory diseases and worsens the atmosphere. These impacts need to be reduced or reversed if a livable future is to be had by our children, and this cannot happen if we continue using the same methods that are creating the issues. If anything, they will only worsen as the increasing demand for electricity from a growing population makes the need to generate more. The other less obvious issue is that the fossil fuels we burn to create electricity are limited in availability. There is a time in the future when these resources will become more scarce than they currently are, which will drive up the costs of electricity significantly. Therefore we have to find a viable alternative that can sustain energy production demands and is reliable and cheap enough to replace the current production systems.
Solar power production does not burn fossil fuels to turn turbines. Instead, it collects sunlight on panels that heat liquid within a sealed system. This liquid expands and flows through pipes, turning the turbines the same way the heat from fossil fuel burning does. This system relies upon the sun as a fuel source, ultimately making power production possible as long as the sun is shining, without impacts on the environment or air. The only real issues to solve are increasing output to an amount large enough to sustain large metropolitan areas and doing it at a cost that is within reason. The production prices must be passed off to consumers to maintain profitability, so finding ways to reduce maintenance costs is critical for solar power to take off. A genuine and crucial issue is the ongoing damage that comes with lightning strikes to panels. The exposed equipment is often in places prone to lightning and strikes damage the panels as a result. While replacing the panels themselves is not that big of an issue, the power surge that results from a lightning strike and travels through the conductive parts of the system is problematic. This power surge starts at the panel and moves along connected components, overwhelming the control equipment and damaging it downstream. Because of this additional damage, restoring the solar park to productivity can be lengthy and costly, impacting the prices that must be charged and the capacities that can be produced. Only through the integration of adequate and highly effective PV surge protection can these damage issues be addressed, and the systems relied upon as a primary method of energy production.
