by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 13, 2026
Southwest Analysis Institute has carried out a collection of enormous scale hearth exams to look at how flames unfold beneath photovoltaic panel installations on flat business and industrial rooftops. This system is meant to provide hearth security organizations the info they should refine requirements and enhance mitigation methods for rooftop photo voltaic techniques.
Engineers constructed full scale take a look at decks designed to duplicate typical low slope roofing assemblies used on massive buildings, then mounted photovoltaic photo voltaic panels on these constructions. They subjected the forefront of the deck to flame and a crosswind to review how fires can provoke and propagate beneath and across the panel arrays, whereas additionally assessing how completely different design options affect the ensuing hazards for constructions and first responders.
SwRI first carried out baseline exams utilizing three frequent forms of photovoltaic panel racking orientations to find out which configuration supported the quickest flame unfold beneath the modules. As soon as essentially the most essential racking orientations have been recognized, the crew evaluated two mitigation approaches on these layouts, incorporating uncovered walkways and vertical limitations to see how these options modified hearth development habits and pathways throughout the roof.
To supply a reference situation, the researchers additionally ran a comparability take a look at on a naked deck with no photovoltaic panels put in. This allowed them to distinction hearth efficiency of typical roofing supplies alone with the extra complicated geometry and air flow pathways launched by photo voltaic arrays and their mounting {hardware} on comparable roof constructions.
Based on challenge principal engineer Alexandra Schluneker, SwRI’s massive indoor hearth take a look at amenities and customized air pollution abatement system made it potential to conduct what she described as the biggest scale photovoltaic panel evaluations so far beneath managed circumstances. “SwRI’s massive indoor hearth testing amenities and customized air pollution abatement system allowed us to soundly conduct the largest-scale evaluations of PV panels so far with larger publicity management whereas defending the atmosphere,” Schluneker mentioned. She famous that earlier work on this space relied on smaller scale setups or outside testing the place exposures are more durable to regulate.
The work was sponsored by the Nationwide Hearth Safety Affiliation’s Hearth Safety Analysis Basis and its Property Insurance coverage Analysis Group, reflecting sturdy curiosity from each code builders and insurers. The ensuing datasets are anticipated to help updates to constructing codes and hearth mitigation protocols that particularly tackle the habits of business and industrial rooftop photo voltaic panel installations throughout hearth occasions.
Karen C. Carpenter, director of SwRI’s Hearth Expertise Division, emphasised the broader targets of this system within the context of renewable vitality deployment and group security. “Massive-scale hearth testing of PV panels to judge efficiency, flame unfold and potential prevention and suppression methods isn’t just a technical necessity – it’s a cornerstone of advancing hearth security to make sure renewable vitality options stay each sustainable and safe for the communities they energy,” Carpenter mentioned.
Schluneker has already shared preliminary findings from the take a look at collection with the fireplace safety group. She co-presented early outcomes on the 2025 NFPA convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 18, 2025, giving stakeholders an preliminary take a look at how completely different racking preparations and mitigation particulars could have an effect on roof stage hearth dynamics.
A second spherical of enormous scale hearth testing is deliberate for early 2026 to look at further mitigation ideas and refine the understanding of design options that may sluggish or redirect flame unfold beneath photovoltaic arrays. These observe on experiments are anticipated to broaden the vary of configurations evaluated and supply additional steerage for builders, property house owners and first responders as rooftop photo voltaic penetration continues to extend on business and industrial amenities.
For extra technical data on SwRI’s hearth analysis and engineering actions, together with photovoltaic system hearth testing, go to the Institute’s hearth know-how pages here.
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