Photovoltaic support grounding measurement specifications

What is a solar substation grounding guide?

This guide, IEEE 2778-2020, is primarily concerned with the grounding system design for photovoltaic solar power plants that are utility owned and/or utility scale (5 MW or greater). It focuses on the differences in practices from substation grounding as provided in IEEE Std 80.

What is the purpose of the grounding system design guide?

The purpose of this guide is to provide grounding system design for ground-mount photovoltaic (PV) solar power plants (SPPs) that are utility owned and/or utility scale (5 MW or greater). It focuses on differences in practices from substation grounding as provided in IEEE Std 80.

What are the challenges of PV grounding design?

One of the challenges in designing the grounding for a Utility Scale Photovoltaic Power Plant is understanding how the system is actually connected, as there are different configurations. In many such systems, the grounding system is common from the DC grounding conductors and the AC grounding conductors.

What are equipment grounding requirements for PV systems?

The equipment grounding requirements for PV systems are covered in 690.43. These requirements include the bonding and grounding requirements for exposed metal parts of PV systems such as metallic module frames, electrical equipment, and conductor enclosures [690.43 (A)].

Why is proper grounding of a photovoltaic power system important?

Proper grounding of a photovoltaic (PV) power system is critical to ensuring the safety of the public during the installation’s decades-long life. Although all components of a PV system may not be fully functional for this period of time, the basic PV module can produce potentially dangerous currents and voltages for the life of the system.

Does this guide cover small scale solar power plants?

This guide does not directly cover small scale solar power plants (such as rooftop type systems), substation grounding, or lightning protection.