2023-10-21 13:01:33
The number of solar-related fires has soared in the UK following a rise in the use of solar panels due to rising energy bills, according to The Independent. Leaked data shows that there were six times as many fires last year as there were 10 years ago. The number of cases has therefore risen sharply: 66 fire cases were recorded by July this year, while there were 63 in the whole of 2019. This is a cause of serious concern among fire safety experts. They are concerned that there is not enough regulation of who can install solar panels and how. The National Council of Fire Chiefs in England has “expressed concern” regarding the potential risks to the safety of buildings, while the Electrical Safety First (ESF) organization says the increase in the number of fires “urgently requires further investigation”. Increasing solar generation is an integral part of the UK achieving its net zero emissions targets. This year’s installation rate is the highest for more than seven years, according to trade association Solar Energy UK (SEUK). But figures from the UK’s fire authority suggest that the first wave of solar panels installed under the government’s Feed in Tariff (FiT) subsidy, introduced in 2010, are increasingly at risk of fire. The UK’s solar capacity grew 120-fold between 2010 and 2016, but fell in 2019 when the program was scrapped. Between 2019 and 2022, solar energy capacity grew more slowly – by 10.5 percent annually. But during the same period, the number of solar-related fires jumped by nearly 50 percent. The installation was not safe According to security experts, the FiT program introduced for the installation of solar panels was considered a “gold rush”, and many of these facilities may not have been inspected since then. According to the National Council of Fire Chiefs, it is “worrying” that the government is trying to facilitate the introduction of this type of technology, “without considering the risks to building and fire safety.” The council said an investigation should be launched into product quality and poor installation and maintenance practices. Anyone can install a solar panel in the UK, but the work must be approved by the local council. The government recommends that homeowners use a registered electrician, but critics say installers are often unaware of the regulations and forget regarding the panels and allow them to deteriorate over time. Previously, to participate in the FiT scheme, both installers and PV cells had to be certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). However, this was never a legal requirement and the removal of the subsidy means that there is less incentive to use accredited installers. They acknowledged that there are “bad actors” in the sector, which “runs the risk that the use of under-trained installers will undermine the sector’s high level of electrical safety performance”. Security needs to be improved Gareth Simkins, the trade association’s senior communications adviser, said: “We are aware of these concerns. We are currently working in cooperation with the government to ensure safety and quality throughout the domestic industry.” Capt Richard Birt, who worked as a firefighter for 30 years before founding the Solar And Fire Education (SAFE) platform, said the UK needed to adopt a safer technology that was already widespread in the US. The traditional solar installation in household systems produces up to 600 V of high-voltage current. For comparison: the third pair of rails of the London Underground has a voltage of 750V. In the case of such high voltages, the risk of arcing increases enormously, which is a common cause of fires, explained Captain Birt. If the equipment was defective in the first place, the risk of fire increases dramatically over time. However, microinverters can be connected in the network to convert the output to a safer 230V voltage. Birt says it is vital that the UK adopts this technology. He believes that the UK and Europe are “far behind on solar safety”. According to the government spokesperson, the risk of fires caused by solar panels is “extremely low”. But the government “continues to work with the industry to improve safety”. It also said the department was investigating whether electricians’ qualifications needed to be changed to reflect stricter regulations for high-risk buildings. How can you make sure your solar panels are safe? Martyn Allen from ESF advises choosing a certified installer who has completed solar installation training and is aware of the standards for solar products. “This provides a better guarantee of safety and redress in the unlikely event that something goes wrong.” – says. Homeowners should regularly have the installation checked by a specialist – preferably the company responsible for the installation. This includes taking actions recommended as a result of the audit. If there are any signs that the equipment is not working as expected, signs of overheating, burning smells or unusual noises are detected, the equipment should be isolated and the installation company should be called.
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