If you have, or are considering an offer from a contractor to add solar panels – PV – to offset the costs of your energy use then consider the following in terms of both your fire risk assessment and insurance provision for the building, the same applies if this is for a client site where they may already be in situ.
The FRA should include reference to the provision and storage of the energy, it should have made comment regarding the secure storage of the electrical energy and how in the event of a fire and the attendance of the FRS it is isolated to ensure it does not either (1) explode or (2) come into contact with the water which may be sprayed onto the fire, furthermore the fire alarm contractor should make reference to the isolation of the feed to shut it off in the event of an occurrence.
The second and far more significant issue is that of advising your insurance provider of this plan or provision, the building will be designated as “non-standard construction” and as such will attract additional terms so they MUST be told, as the consequences of non-disclosure are massive in that any lightning strike on the roof that caused the panels to explode would probably render the building a total loss, it may invalidate totally the cover provided or cause the insurer to limit the consequential loss cover and if the building is subject to a mortgage or is on a full repairing lease then the client will likely fold under the pressure of the financial costs of such issues.
Ensure both your assessor and insurance provider are informed, make sure your broker sees the FRA and can make reference to the provider as to what exactly is being done so that in the event of a major drama they are a participant and not a spectator.
