Ensuring the security of photovoltaic installations is paramount to our nation's energy strategy.
The photovoltaic self-consumption sector in Spain has witnessed a remarkable surge in recent years, with projections indicating a continued upward trajectory through 2024. According to the 2023 Annual Report on Photovoltaic Self-Consumption compiled by APPA (Association of Renewable Energy Companies), nearly 112,000 residential photovoltaic installations and over 15,500 industrial installations have been completed in our nation. Collectively, these figures represent an accumulation of nearly half a million solar rooftops, boasting an installed capacity on par with the combined output of Spain's five operational nuclear power plants.
As these statistics underscore, ensuring the security of photovoltaic installations is paramount to our nation's energy strategy.
Update of the Technical Building Code (CTE) and Its Impact on Photovoltaic Installations
In June 2022, a revision of the fundamental requirement SUA 8 within the CTE was implemented, specifically addressing the protocols for lightning protection in rooftop photovoltaic installations. This revision mandates adherence to the stipulations outlined in basic requirement SUA 8, dubbed "Protection against the risk posed by lightning strikes":
(…) In this context, it is deemed that the integration of a significant photovoltaic solar installation onto an existing building's rooftop may constitute a substantive alteration to said structure, necessitating compliance with basic requirement SUA 8 for both the rooftop and, by extension, the entire building.
Within this new framework, it is imperative to conduct a thorough risk assessment regarding lightning strikes and to subsequently implement requisite measures to ensure that both new constructions and preexisting structures boast adequate lightning protection, safeguarding the integrity and efficiency of photovoltaic installations.
How to Shield a Photovoltaic Installation from lightning? INGESCO: A Holistic Approach
Photovoltaic installations are inherently susceptible to lightning strikes due to their metallic framework and elevated positioning atop building roofs or within open environs. This susceptibility not only jeopardizes the constituent components (including solar panels and inverters) but also disrupts the continuity of energy supply, thereby impeding the realization of investment returns.
The initial step entails an evaluation of the lightning strike risk, facilitated by the computations delineated within CTE SUA 8. To this end, we offer our expertise to assist you in conducting these analyses utilizing our proprietary CALCULUS software. Alternatively, you may avail yourself of our technical bureau's services, which stand ready to conduct such evaluations at no cost to you. 
Upon determining the requisite level of protection, measures shall be instituted accordingly. INGESCO presents comprehensive external and internal lightning protection solutions, meticulously crafted in accordance with industry standards and fashioned from the most robust and enduring materials available.
Externally, this involves the installation of capture, diversion, and grounding mechanisms engineered to mitigate the impact of lightning discharges upon solar panels and contiguous structures. Internally, our focus is directed toward ameliorating overvoltage induced by lightning strikes within photovoltaic systems, which pose a threat to sensitive equipment such as inverters and storage solutions, pivotal for energy conversion and self-consumption optimization.
With a legacy spanning half a century within the sector, and a portfolio encompassing more than 200,000 installations, INGESCO stands poised to safeguard your projects against the deleterious effects of lightning strikes on solar arrays.