SOLAR POWER MONITORING – FIBER OPTIC SOLUTIONS FOR FIRE PREVENTION & PERIMETER SECURITY Bandweaver’s FireLaser distributed temperature sensing (DTS) and fiber optic-based Perimeter Intrusions Detection Systems (PIDS) provide full protection for solar farms both from a fire prevention and security standpoint. This application notes details how the systems operate both from a fire detection perspective and a perimeter security solution.
FIRE PREVENTION There are a number of risks to solar panels that can lead to overheating and a potential fire event. These risks include short circuits, poor installation (wrongly specified), faulty components (inverters & DC switches) and natural hazards (birds’ nests, foliage). With regards to traditional fire detection there are not many solutions available, and, in most cases, fires have been visually reported by passersby.
INTRODUCTION Over the past decade the use of photovoltaic technology using solar panels for power generation has grown at a rate greater than 40% per year. Solar power is a truly renewable energy and is extremely versatile with the ability to be deployed on a small scale (residential housing roof tops) or on a large scale (industrial solar farms). The maintenance costs are relatively low with the main focus being on keeping the panel clean to maximise efficiency.