Solar Power for Risk Engineers

Come along our journey of Risk Engineering. In this video we will learn the basics of a solar power plant and then learn what Risk Engineers are looking for when they visit. Feel free to add suggestions for these risks in the comments.

[@IAmMRToon]

Great insight sharing for engineer society. Keep doing sir.

[@EnergyRiskEngineering]

Thank you, I will

[@NickGobin]

Great video and good points. A few thoughts:
- wind stow should not be flat. Flat panels will catch the wind like an airfoil and develop oscillating motion (torsion on the tracker torque tube). This leads to galloping - look up a couple decent losses from a big name tracker OEM in Australia that occurred well below design wind speed. So even though it's counterintuitive, wind stow is now usually designed the same as hail - fixed at max angle. This is still debated from the perspective of windborne debris, but with significant windborne debris you are going to have a bad day no matter what.
- checking for debris that can become windborne missiles (both on property and neighbouring properties) is a good idea on loss control surveys.
- vegetation management is the key for wildfire mitigation. Glass-glass panels (usually bifacial) are a little more resistant. Fire response plan is actually really crucial, because close coordination is required with utility staff to keep responders safe from electric energy hazards. Some owners use various other strategies including long-duration biodegradable fire retardants applied around solar farm perimeters during fire season.
- for microcracking, the only global OEM of thin film panels (First Solar) claims they are immune to microcracking, and have pretty compelling data, explanation, & policies to back it up. It's probably not enough to change procurement decisions, but definitely something to highlight.
Finally - I love your thoughts on 2x 66% capacity step-up transformers. It's an approach I also endorse and recommend. With the capacity profile of most solar plants, a single 66% capacity transformer is usually enough to capture >85% of revenues!

[@EnergyRiskEngineering]

Thanks so much for contributing! I agree with your great points.

[@alowry2002]

If one is to use animals for vegetation management one can't use goats. As you noted not only will then eat everything including wires they will also climb onto panels. Sheep are the way to go as they don't climb and limit their eating to grass. I have seen a few sites with successful sheep operations.

[@EnergyRiskEngineering]

Thanks for confirming. Sheep it is.

[@alowry2002]

@@EnergyRiskEngineering my Caribbean client has had good success with sheep. They built the farmer a stable rated for a Cat 4 storm. My Florida client has moved away from sheep to groundskeepers.

[@darshandave1811]

I think insurers and other stakeholders should come up with a recommended distance between two strings which has to be maintained to avoid all strings catching fire from nearby strings. Apart from that heat/smoke sensors must be there under panel/string which can activate fire extinguishers or Medium velocity water sprinklers.

[@EnergyRiskEngineering]

Interesting idea. We have to remember that the objective is to make electricity, not to prevent fires.