PV Surge Protection Systems And Profitability

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Photovoltaic power production systems work by positioning a panel that collects sunlight in an open area capable of collecting as much as possible. That panel then utilizes the collected sunlight to heat liquid within an enclosed piping system. The fluid expands and creates a movement or flow, ultimately moving turbines that produce static electricity for collection. The positioning of the panel is critical to the amount of power that can ultimately be made, as the sheer volume of available sunlight directly impacts the volume of power ultimately produced. For this reason, control equipment is continually optimizing the panel position and improving the liquid's ability to flow. These necessary interconnections between components present a significant challenge to the solar industry and have made it slow to progress due to the need to improve the systems to increase the amount of power that can be produced in 24 hours. The systems also need to be enhanced to do this at a lower cost than simply burning fossil fuels. Until that happens, we will continue to see solar power be looked at as interesting but unable to be relied upon as a primary fuel source.

 

The improvement of PV surge protection systems has brought about a dramatic change in the potential profitability of solar farms through the extension of uptimes and equipment lifespan. By enabling systems to stay online longer while the free power source of the sun is available is critical to profits, and due to the exposed nature of the panels and their interconnection to other equipment, lightning strikes hinder profits. The lightning strikes the panel doing damage that must be repaired before the system can go back online and continue to produce. The power surge that is produced by the strike moves through the system and creates additional damage to the equipment downstream, further necessitating the need for repairs. This costs the business money in both repairs and downtime during peak production hours. The downstream damage can be minimized or even eliminated by integrating PV surge protection devices at the places where electricity can flow. There is little ability to shield from a lightning strike fully. Still, by minimizing the damage to the panel itself instead of the connected equipment, the system can be restored to function much faster and for far less cost. When this is worked into the systems operating as much as humanly possible, the savings over time and the increases in production can potentially make solar power a reliable and cost-effective primary source for consumers. Once PV surge protection systems are entirely doing their job, other cost-saving and production-increasing methods can be implemented that will possibly push solar into the forefront of production. We do not know what the future holds, but if the current development indicates, we may someday be living in a solar world.