Practical approach for total protection in ground mounted PV system

Abstract

In this paper, a conceptual and practical approach for total lightning protection system based on the MS/IEC requirements on Ground-mounted Photovoltaic lightning protection system are discussed. The test site is located at the Renewable Energy Research Office (RERO) Faculty of Engineering UPM Serdang, Malaysia with installed capacity of 10 kWp Monocrystalline PV modules c/w Sun Grow Inverter/ Data logging system. Lightning current which passes through the common lightning protection system may still dispersed and affect the ground-mounted PV power system mainly due to the uncertainties of point-of-strike. Hence the uniqueness of this project is the strategic structure bonding of PV systems with wind turbine (external pole) and perimeter fencing to achieve a good common earthing configuration. The protection system is also equipped with Surge Protection Devices (SPD) based on the zonal protection scheme to protect the site from both direct and indirect damages of lightning, with special attention to the protection of PV panels and inverters.In this paper, a conceptual and practical approach for total lightning protection system based on the MS/IEC requirements on Ground-mounted Photovoltaic lightning protection system are discussed. The test site is located at the Renewable Energy Research Office (RERO) Faculty of Engineering UPM Serdang, Malaysia with installed capacity of 10 kWp Monocrystalline PV modules c/w Sun Grow Inverter/ Data logging system. Lightning current which passes through the common lightning protection system may still dispersed and affect the ground-mounted PV power system mainly due to the uncertainties of point-of-strike. Hence the uniqueness of this project is the strategic structure bonding of PV systems with wind turbine (external pole) and perimeter fencing to achieve a good common earthing configuration. The protection system is also equipped with Surge Protection Devices (SPD) based on the zonal protection scheme to protect the site from both direct and indirect damages of lightning, with special attention to the p...