Wind uplift protection for mounted and integrated photovoltaic systems (PV)

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Photovoltaic systems play an important role in the renewable energy market. Installed on the pitched roof in a position, where they are exposed to pelting rain, strong winds and all kinds of storms. Therefor protection with weatherproof brackets made of steel are recommended to reduce the risk of property damage and personal injury.

Mandatory Solar in Germany
Due to increasing cost of electricity and according to current climate goals, the German government stated in their coalition agreement, that all sloped roof surfaces should be used for solar panels. In some German states such as Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein, Rhineland-Palatinate, Lower Saxony, Berlin and Hamburg, mandatory use of solar energy is already in place, albeit with different conditions. Bavaria and Bremen are currently planning to implement compulsory installation of PV systems.

Roof mounted and integrated systems
House roofs, directly facing the sun, provide optimal conditions for installing a photovoltaic system. Mounted solar panels are the most common system in Germany. The necessary substructure and the PV modules are mounted on a roof that has already been covered in roof tiles. The other option are integrated solutions where special PV modules are installed instead of roof tiles. Double-ups of roofing materials become obsolete.

Following distinctions are made:

• Standard integrated systems with solar modules
• complete solar roofs consisting of individual roof tiles with continuous glass panels
• solar roof tiles, which are particularly suitable for roofs with heritage listing

Wind uplift protection
Both systems, the roof pantiles with the mounted solar panels and the integrated PV modules must be secured against wind uplift. It is recommended that the roof areas around a PV system are secured with storm clips. The width of this area to be fastened should be at least 1.50 m. This is aimed to prevent damage to the photovoltaic modules from dislodged roof tiles. A poorly secured PV system is a source of danger and increased financial risk. It is important that wind uplift protection is installed by a qualified professional to ensure that it is safe and within country guidelines.

Storm clips for integrated systems
FOS® offers fixing solutions for integrated systems. The storm clips have been individually developed in cooperation with the respective PV manufacturer to fit the corresponding module and are produced in Germany from durable material. FOS® has decades of expertise in the field of storm clips which qualify us as a competent development partner for start-ups and companies that have been active in the solar industry for a long time.