Although solar panels are becoming increasingly common, many homeowners report difficulties accommodating them due to a lack of backyard or roof space.
Solar panels need a large patch of open sky or land installed. In response to this issue, numerous solutions have emerged in the solar business, such as solar carports, solar highways, and conventional roof & ground-mounted solar panels.
Every solar energy supporter eventually faces the same dilemma: what to do when living space is at a premium.
Despite the lack of a legal prohibition against doing so, most solar panel manufacturers advise against placing panels anywhere near overhead electricity lines.
Any unpredictability may cause fire incidents. In this post, we will acknowledge whether solar panels be installed under power lines.
Relation Between Solar Panels and Power Lines
The Powerlines transmit alternating current (AC) power, the voltage of which fluctuates according to the capacity of transmission lines.
The DC energy produced by the sun is transported via the solar panels to the inverter.
The solar energy is then transformed into standard AC electricity via the inverter. In terms of electricity, there is no interference or interaction between them. But, Magnetically, Yes.
The efficiency of solar panels can be affected by the powerline’s magnetic field. As an illustration, consider the inverter, a device that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).
If the voltage is increased, so is the magnetic force’s effect. The magnetic force of the power makes it unsafe to install solar panels underneath it.
Can Solar Panels Be Installed Under Power Lines?
No, you must not install solar panels under power lines. Today’s primary challenge to solar power generation is a deficiency of suitable land on which to set up photovoltaic panels.
Ingenious solutions to the space problem have been devised, including solar carports, solar highways, and even traditional ground and rooftop mounts.
However, a solar advocate could argue that there is more opportunity for solar panel installation in less conspicuous places, like beneath power lines.
Solar panels should not be placed beneath power transmission cables for practical and safety concerns. It doesn’t matter how large or small the solar panels are or what they should do.
Under normal circumstances, having solar panels near overhead power lines is not a cause for alarm. However, if something unexpected happened, like a power line dropping onto the solar modules, physical harm or, at worst, a fire could result.
Forceful weather isn’t the only cause of blackouts. Falling power lines are common after a storm, particularly with high winds or a lot of accumulated ice.
If they happen to land on solar panels, the panels will sustain damage and developmental issues like microcracks that would hinder their performance.
Reasons Why Solar Panels Must not be Installed under Power Grids
1. Below Space Is Required For Maintenance & Upgrades
It is necessary to get access to the area beneath the electricity lines to do routine maintenance and perform any necessary improvements. There will inevitably be a moment when maintenance or enhancements must be made to the nation’s power grid’s transmission lines.
Repairs and upgrades to electrical lines typically require the employment of huge bucket trucks mounted on trucks equipped with cranes.
It is believed that this area is clear for the necessary service equipment and personnel to access the area beneath the power transmission lines. The installation of solar panels here would disrupt these necessary procedures.
2. Size Of Solar Panels
When talking about large-scale solar power farms, with thousands of solar panels, hundreds of generators, and dozens of step-down transformers, installing beneath power lines becomes even less viable.
Not only would finding adequate room to install these parts be difficult but so would carrying out the installation itself and any necessary maintenance or repairs.
Even in hilly regions where it would be impractical to put large solar panel arrays, some power cables are nonetheless erected.
3. Possible Interference
While it’s true that AC won’t disrupt a solar PV array’s DC, converting DC to AC on the fly could lead to interference. However, the main issue with power lines, particularly high-voltage ones, is the very concentrated EMF zone around them.
The electromagnetic field (EMF) sensitive components of a photovoltaic system may be adversely affected by these fields.
Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are a known cause of various immunodeficiency & physiological illnesses, including cancer. Therefore, while there may be no obstacles to placing solar panels under power lines, you will endanger your health.
4. Space Underneath Is Already Occupied
Countries with a high standard of living often make good use of the land beneath power lines by building roads, farms, and cities there. In this case, solar panels cannot be erected there because the area is currently in use.
Given the global shift toward renewable energy sources, solar panels’ output is increasingly in demand. In any case, there’s no reason to occupy a location that could be used for something more important, like farming.
5. Physical Damage On Solar Panels.
Forceful weather isn’t the only cause of blackouts. Falling power lines are a common occurrence after a storm, particularly one with high winds or a lot of accumulated ice.
If they happen to land on solar panels, the panels will sustain damage and develop issues like microcracks that would hinder their performance.
A sudden loss of electricity might potentially cause the solar panels to catch fire or even explode. Without a doubt, this is the worst possible scenario that might occur close to a high voltage transmission line.
Loss of power from a power line can cause more problems than just the physical destruction of solar panels.
If a power line goes down, it could cause a ground fault or a rise in the ground below. Additionally, there could be voltage-transfer concerns on surrounding residential appliances and TV services if indeed the solar PV system isn’t properly earthed.
Conclusion
The main point is that solar panel installations should be avoided directly beneath overhead power lines for various safety, technical, and logical reasons. It is preferable to locate your solar panels elsewhere if there are no laws prohibiting their installation.
Putting the panels below the powerlines to take that chance has too many serious drawbacks. We hope you must have acknowledged everything whether solar panels be installed under power lines.
