The Dark Side of Solar Panels: Do Solar Panels Pose a Fire Risk?
- Luke Song
- Aug 12, 2025
- 3 min read
As climate change drastically changes the world around us, many households are starting to make the switch to solar panels in order to stay more eco-friendly. However, as with all technology, the issue of safety is the most important consideration. In this case, fires may arise from solar panels. Occasionally, one may see the massive failures that have happened in the past few decades in regard to solar panels. For example, various solar panel fires have been reported to have occurred in Walmart: in fact, in the span of a little less than a decade, seven different stores had suffered from poor installation of solar panels, causing major economic loss. More recently, just a little less than five years ago, an Amazon warehouse in Fresno, California suffered from a major solar panel related incident: over two hundred solar panels caught on fire, causing millions of dollars in damages. However, these news stories are few and far between: though data is sparse, the collected data so far has shown that solar panel fires are not a threat to be worried about. Over the world, the percentage of fires arising from solar panels has been consistently under 2%, with most countries having percentages of less than 0.5%. Regardless, there are still things people can do to further decrease their chance of suffering from a solar panel fire.
In order to understsand how fires arise from solar panels, it would be useful to know how they work. Solar panels, or photovoltaic (PV) panels, convert the sun's radiation into electricity. Most modern solar panels also have inverters; these devices turn direct currents (DCs) into alternating currents (ACs). Finally, the solar panel itself consists of many layers that receive solar energy and convert it into electricity. The main cause of solar panel fires is faulty installation, whether it is faulty wiring, loose connections, or poor ventilation. These are especially dangerous as a phenomenon known as "DC arcs" are likely to occur. In this event, sparks of electricity form and cause disturbances in the electrical circuit. These are silent killers: not only are they difficult to stop because the electricity continues to travel in its closed circuits, possibly causing short-circuiting, but they are also incredibly difficult to spot. Luckily, most modern solar panels have inverters, which not only turn DCs into ACs, but also stop the current if it detects a possible electrical current arc, thus preventing fires. Additionally, component defects and degradation over time also make up a large portion of solar panel fires. For example, moisture may seep into cracks of solar panels over time. When they interact with the current, short-circuiting is likely to happen. Additionally, using poor construction materials may cause hot spots, in which certain portions of the solar panel is overheated, also leading to fires. To prevent these possible issues, it is essential to ensure that the solar panel provider is reputable and that they have a recognized certification. Doing so will drastically decrease the chance of a solar panel fire occurring.
While some may worry about the safety of solar panels, the ultimate answer is that they are extremely unlikely to cause problems. Given the tremendous benefits of solar panels, homeowners should absolutely install solar panels if they wish, as long as basic requirements are met; although solar panel fires are rare, it is still important to check for certificates and inverters to further lower the probability of a solar panel fire. Afterwards, one can be rest assured that solar panels will not cause major issues, if at all.
-Written by Ethan Liang
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Bibliography:
https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/guide-fire-safety-solar-systems https://core.verisk.com/Insights/Emerging-Issues/Articles/2023/October/Week-4/Are-Solar-Panels-an-Emerging-Fire-Risk
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