ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Alternative Energy RENEWABLE ENERGY: YOUR causes for concern?

The FD's only concern is usually "how do we turn this off"?

I do think making them familiar with disconnects and places that are potentially hazardous is worth doing. They might even be able to help the installer come up with useful signs and notices. It could save you some additional damage in a recoverable fire.

Training? well, i'm still tryin' to get the FD here to turn off ignition keys at rollovers

point of frustration for me fella's ,they get the 'ol moth / flame effect, drown it all and ask q's later


~S~

Sparky,


Yeah, you're right. They wouldn't know the difference, but if they can see where to not put water on, maybe that would help them. I heard of someone from a FD that took great pleasure in shooting water on the High Voltage towers to see the sparks it caused. I don't know if he is still alive today.

The main reasoning was the concerns for the safety of the fire crews!

well yes & yes guys. i do agree, i'm just a tad jaded by my history i guess

~S~

I can see it come down the line that panels will require a remote switch to either open each string or short them out. Shorting them out maybe the most economical way.

My strings typically run 70-100 volts, more then enough to kill you dead. I learned that you can short them out pending on their output. When I hook them up, I'll short the previous panel in the string when making the connections which avoids shocks and sparks.

This concept could be applied to "shut off" the panels for emergencies in theory meaning still higher costs but a means to shut them off

I agree on the remote or at least integral contactor within the module itself being a good idea for the future, but for now there is no way to shut off production as long as the sun is shining, short of covering the modules.

Shorting them only works if it's done at or within the modules themselves, otherwise the circuit is still 'hot' between the shorting device and the modules, so a fireman with a hose on the roof is still at risk should his spray make contact with a circuit.

A typical commercial string is between 550-600V and 7-11A and from my experiences with numerous FD's that I've dealt with, short of a life saving quest, they are content to fight a fire on a structure with PV from as far away as possible. They still want all of their access requirements met though.....

If you're using the manufacturer provided connectors for module stringing why are you shorting them when making connections, or better yet, how can you short a panel without making a connection to one of the leads?

I just read an article the G-Biz news letter which hits on this topic. It seems the entire solar industry is highly dependent on worldwide Government subsidies. Now that these subsidies are drying up in several European countries, some manufacturers have begun to close their doors and the solar industry itself may continue to shrink substantially over the next few years.
I can’t help thinking that the something is in the air for the ethanol producers when and if corn subsidies begin to go away due to Uncle Sam’s teat running dry.

Industry Week Article

It's not economicaly viable at this point in the technology.
I'm not at all surprised that these folks are having an extra-tough time competing on a level playing field.

I've always said that 'subsidies' are a way to entice you to make the wrong decision.

I'll go along with that. Here, 'green' energy was subsidised by our Gummint direct to the buyer with a 50% tax rebate, all based on the global warming scam. Even if you were so poor you paid no tax, they still gave you up to 50% off capital costs, with a check in the mail, as long as a pro fitted the kit. [Job massaging buys votes.]

Result? The price of kit like pv or geo, [and noticeably for me, with one eye over the Channel], 'green flame' spec. woodburning stoves almost doubled in price. Effectively, the vendors grabbed most of the subsidy. The Gummint was taken aback when vast swathes of the vox-pop fell for it and is now strapped for cash. The rebates dropped away, along with sales, and are now 20% and expected to vanish next year altogether. If Gummints offered no props, only stuff that actually works would get marketed. Did Gates or Jobs need a subsidy to grow businesses so big in 25 years they could pay off the US national debt with their spare cash? Answers on a postage stamp.