> Fire safety of solar power plants
> Source: https://pap.fi/en/2024/07/aurinkovoimalan-paloturvallisuus/
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# Fire safety of solar power plants

Solar power is rapidly growing in popularity as a form of renewable energy. Fire safety plays an important role in protecting a solar power plant’s operation and its surroundings, so it is worth taking into account right from the start of planning a plant project.

A solar power plant is an efficient and environmentally friendly solution for converting the sun’s radiant energy into electricity. Plants are being built at a brisk pace today, and their size has grown from installations of a few panels to solar parks in which a vast number of panels are spread over a wide area.

Suitable locations for solar power plants include open land, industrial areas, decommissioned peatlands, livestock pastures and bodies of water. Because a plant naturally has to be located where its panels receive as much solar radiation as possible, it may also be exposed to a fire risk caused by heat.

Especially when a solar power plant is located far from infrastructure, it is vital that an incipient fire is detected as quickly as possible. The sooner the rescue department can arrive from afar, the better fire damage can be prevented both at the plant and in its surroundings.

## Voluntary, but recommended

There is as yet no legislation on the fire safety of solar power plants; it is managed on the basis of recommendations.

In 2023, the partnership network of Finnish rescue departments published a [fire safety guideline for solar PV systems](https://www.pelastuslaitokset.fi/artikkeli/aurinkosahkojarjestelmat/) (in Finnish). The purpose of the guideline is to inform system owners, designers, builders and authorities about the risks of these systems and the key safety regulations and guidelines that apply to them. It also gives recommendations, from the rescue services’ point of view, for enabling rescue operations, ensuring the occupational safety of rescue personnel and achieving good fire safety.

The guideline is not legally binding; it is a consensus view on the application of the Rescue Act, produced in cooperation between the competent rescue authorities.

### Making solar power plants fire-safe with modern systems

PAP’s CEO Marko Hämäläinen says that a well-functioning [fire alarm system](https://pap.fi/en/tuote-osasto/paloilmoitinjarjestelmat/) is key to building fire safety at a solar power plant. “The system automatically raises an alarm when the fire safety situation at the site changes. The earlier it reacts, the better the damage caused by a fire can be prevented and minimised. The fire alarm systems we deliver are addressable, interactive and scalable. We build them from Panasonic’s top-quality, intelligent and modern system components.”

A fibre-optic linear heat detection cable system is particularly well suited to ensuring fire safety at a solar power plant. “The cable detects elevated temperatures in the solar panels, cables or ground at an early stage and raises an alarm as soon as the temperature thresholds set for it are exceeded. Because the system is addressable, it tells the plant’s technical staff or the rescue authorities the exact location of the developing fire. This helps to prevent the fire from spreading over a wider area.”

In addition to its accuracy, the advantages of a [linear heat detection system](https://pap.fi/en/tuotteemme/lampokaapelit/) include its reliability. “The cables work reliably even in harsh environmental conditions and, for example, withstand temperatures of hundreds of degrees without being damaged or their operation being disrupted.”

Another piece of good news for solar power plant owners is that a linear heat detection system is a cost-effective solution that is easy to maintain. “Installing the system is relatively simple, which keeps the costs of this work stage under control. The cables do not require regular cleaning or calibration, which also helps to reduce their maintenance costs.”

### The best expertise, the best fire protection

According to Marko Hämäläinen, the designer of a solar power plant project should [contact](https://pap.fi/en/yhteys/) PAP right at the start of the project. “The earlier we can get involved in the design work, the more direct the route to a result that gives the plant the best possible level of fire safety as soon as it starts operating.”

Even though it is not currently regulated by law, fire safety should still be high on the list of priorities of every smart solar project designer.

“PAP is a leading provider of fire safety solutions in Finland. Together with the project designer, we take a thorough look at the special features and fire safety challenges of the plant under construction, and we design a modern, high-quality and reliable fire safety solution for the site. If required, in addition to designing and delivering the system, we can also maintain it, so that the plant owner can leave looking after the site’s fire safety entirely to us.”

Are you planning a solar power plant? [Get in touch!](https://pap.fi/en/yhteys/)