On 16^th September, the Slovenian Fire Protection Association (SZPV) organised a seminar on Fire Safety of PV Systems in Ljubljana. The event brought together over 50 attendees from various stakeholder groups, including industrial representatives, material manufacturers, insurers, and firefighters.

The seminar highlighted the growing importance of photovoltaic (PV) installations, particularly in light of the European Commission’s upcoming strategy mandating the installation of PV systems on buildings. While PV systems play a vital role in energy supply, experiences from research and past fire incidents show that they also influence fire risks. The seminar therefore provided the latest professional insights into fire hazards of PV systems, firefighting experiences, and tested preventive measures to reduce risks.

Agenda Highlights

• Research & Risks: researcher Nik Rus (ZAG) presented the latest findings coming from various research groups about the influences of PV installations on the fire safety of the buildings.
• Case Studies: firefighters Anže Šilar and Gregor Gomboši discussed the Mis farm fire involving PV systems.
• Construction Aspects: previous head of the ZAG Fire Laboratory, Milan Hajduković (SZPV) outlined how PV panels affect the fire performance of roof coverings.
• Regulatory Framework: mag. Romana Lah (Inspectorate for Protection against Natural and Other Disasters) presented legal requirements for PV fire safety.
• Preventive Measures & Insurance: Presentations covered insurance aspects (Davor Krušvar, Zavarovalnica Triglav), technical inspections and maintenance (Rudi Zorko, Janez Guzelj, EZS-NNELI), fire detection systems (Dušan Podbelšek, Zarja Elektronika), and fire suppression solutions (Matej Škerbic, Bonpet).

Each of the seminar sessions concluded with a panel discussion where the attendees had a chance to pose questions to the presenters regarding the presented topics. Discussions emphasized the importance of preventive strategies, regular inspections, and potentially also the integration of detection/suppression systems such to reduce response times and mitigate PV-related fire risks.