Battery Energy Storage Station Lightning Protection

What is a lightning protection system?

A lightning protection system not only protects the solar PV system but also provides reliable protection to your entire property and assets while safely diverting transient currents to the ground.

What are surge protective devices (SPDs) in battery energy storage systems?

Surge protective devices (SPDs) is required in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) BESS systems contain AC/DC converters and battery banks implemented in concrete constructions or in metallic containers.

Do I need an external lightning protection system?

Therefore the need for optimized and reliable electrical protection against the influence of lightning and surge events becomes mandatory. A risk assessment per IEC 62305-2 should first be performed to understand better if an external lightning protection system (LPS) is required.

What is a battery storage system?

Battery storage systems store excess energy produced by Renewable Energy systems such as PV or Wind and store it for use when needed. This counterbalances the fluctuation between energy production and demand for electricity.

What happens when lightning strikes a storage system?

Distant lightning strikes or so-called indirect lightning strikes lead to conducted partial lightning currents (impulse waveform 10/350 μs) in the supply lines, or also to induced / capacitive couplings (impulse 8/20 μs) in the electronic components of the storage system itself (so-called LEMP = Lightning ElectroMagnetic Pulse) (Figure 1).

Can a battery storage system be insulated?

If battery storage systems for the power grid have a concrete construction, is often impossible, or at least very difficult, to maintain separation distances to the external lightning protection system. This problem can be solved by installing high-voltage resistant insulated conductors, so-called HVI conductors.