On a sunny June day, a pair of Woodside firefighters are up on a roof inspecting the new photovoltaic system on a remodeled house. They maneuver along the narrow strip of rooftop alongside the expanse of solar panels and do what firefighters do best — figure out how they would battle a blaze if the house ever caught fire.
It’s hard to say anything bad about solar energy — in recent years, it’s gotten more affordable, it’s become nicer to look at, and it’s been embraced by residents and the governor alike as an environmentally sustainable way to fuel California’s growing electricity needs. As an alternative source of energy, it’s hard to beat the rooftop solar electricity-generating panels, called photovoltaic (PV) systems, that are becoming increasingly popular on Midpeninsula homes.
But while homeowners are tallying up their energy bills and taking into account their family’s carbon footprint, there’s one scenario that most people overlook when they consider switching to solar: What happens if the house catches on fire?
It’s not that solar panels increase the risk of fire — they don’t. The concern is that they create a risky situation for firefighters, potentially putting live electric current in their path and requiring them to change how they attack a structure fire.
“Firefighters are a little scared of it,” said Woodside Fire Marshal Denise Enea. “Nobody wants to get electrocuted.”
The Woodside Fire Protection District recently created guidelines intended to keep firefighters safe, but solar installers and some green energy proponents are worried that the restrictions go too far, and will put solar energy out of reach for many homeowners.
The new rules mean homes in Woodside, Portola Valley and surrounding unincorporated areas served by the fire district will have to make sure their plans for rooftop solar panels comply with the guidelines if they want to get them approved.
Menlo Park fire district officials are also considering rules for solar installations in Menlo Park, Atherton and East Palo Alto.
Woodside fire’s rules boil down to three basic requirements, said Ms. Enea: signs warning firefighters that a photovoltaic system is present; a 3-foot setback along the perimeter of the solar panels; and an additional rooftop power shut-off switch.
Existing PV systems are exempt from the regulations.
With solar panels, if the sun is out, they will still hold electricity even if the power is shut off.
“The biggest fear is electrocution,” said Ms. Enea. “If they’re spraying water on a (panel) that’s compromised but still live, the voltage comes back to the firefighters.”
Another concern is venting, the practice of chopping a hole in the roof above a fire to let heat and gases escape and improve visibility inside the structure. Firefighters can’t remove or chop through rooftop solar panels, so they would have to vent the roof through nearest panel-free high point on the roof.
“If there’s a fire in the attic, we can vent the roof right above the fire and contain it to that spot. If we have to go 100 feet away to vent it on the other side (of solar panels), the fire is going to travel 100 feet,” said Woodside firefighter Don Bullard.
Ms. Enea said the 3-foot setback will give firefighters on the roof room to maneuver, and is similar to San Francisco’s regulation.
Requiring a rooftop shut-off adds an extra measure of safety, she said.
“Some contractors are OK with a roof disconnect, and others are worried about the looks,” Ms. Enea said.
Woodside fire officials are very much in favor of solar power, and they’re not trying to discourage people from installing it, she said. Her goal is to educate people about the need to keep firefighters safe, she said.
Peter Rive, the founder and COO of SolarCity, a Foster City-based solar system provider, said he appreciates the importance of firefighter safety. However, he said he’d prefer that Woodside follow guidelines in the national electrical code, rather than make up their own rules.
“They are two kinds of objections people typically have to installing PV,” Mr. Rive said. “Sometimes it’s money, and sometimes it’s the aesthetics. Adding a (rooftop) disconnect will make it look a lot less good, and that will definitely affect the rate at which (solar) will be accepted.”
Solar energy is gaining a lot of momentum in the community, and his company wants to work with Woodside fire to make sure that its regulations don’t slow down the rate of adoption, he said. SolarCity recently completed successful group-discount solar installation programs in Woodside and Portola Valley, and they are in the midst of a Go Solar Initiative in Menlo Park and Atherton.
“Whatever the rules are, we will work with them, but we will definitely represent the other side of the argument,” Mr. Rive said.
No need for more rules?
Rodney Slaughter, a training consultant with 30 years of firefighting experience, put together the first training program for firefighters responding to emergencies involving photovoltaic systems. He said Woodside fire district’s concerns mirror his own when he was first researching the issue.“Even a small amount (of electricity) can produce enough shock to make you jump back a few steps, and potentially fall off the roof,” Mr. Slaughter said.
However, he said he’s not in favor of communities creating their own solar design regulations.
“There are enough safety features built into the systems,” Mr. Slaughter said. “For the technology to work, you can’t limit the design of the system.”
The 3-foot setback takes away a lot of prime roof-area, he said. Most solar panels are installed on south-facing roof slopes, leaving the rest of the roof free should firefighters need to cut vents.
“From a design perspective, you obviously want as many panels on the roof as possible to maximize the electrical needs of the customer,” Mr. Slaughter said.
He produced the PV training program to provide local fire departments with the same level of confidence that he has in solar technology, said Mr. Slaughter, who recently installed a 5-kilowatt system on his home near Sacramento.
Sten Mawson, a Woodside resident and member of fledgling environmental group Woodside Green, said he’s opposed to the setback requirement.
“If the fire district takes away from that one area you could use, you drop homes out of being able to do (solar),” Mr. Mawson said. “This is one of the very, very best ways to reduce your carbon footprint. You’re just taking the sun and turning it into electricity. The more panels we can put on, the better everybody will be.”
Mr. Mawson said he thinks Woodside fire officials should have had a public process before putting the solar guidelines in place.
Woodside planning director Hope Sullivan said the town routes all of its permit applications for solar panels to the fire district, and won’t sign off on a project without the fire district’s approval. In essence, whatever the fire district says goes, she said.
Menlo fire weighs solar rules
The Menlo Park Fire Protection District is taking a different approach. Chief Harold Schapelhouman said his department is working on a model ordinance that he can bring to the district’s city councils — Menlo Park, Atherton and East Palo Alto. Any regulations would have to be approved by the city councils before taking effect, he said.While he’s a big proponent of solar power — “I’d like to get off the grid, myself,” he said — Chief Schapelhouman does think that firefighter safety is a concern.
“With solar panels, we need some level of safety regulation,” he said. “California is really a leader. The opportunity is ripe for us to build in standards.”
Solar technology has been advancing quickly, and firefighters have to scramble to keep up with it, he said. It was the same way with other safety innovations, such as airbags. Paramedics treating car accident victims have been knocked out when airbags suddenly deployed, he said
“What happens if there’s an accident or a fire?” he said. “Those questions aren’t getting asked at the front end, typically.”
One of the problems is that firefighters don’t have much experience in dealing with fires at structures that have solar panels.
“I haven’t seen any yet, but it’s a matter of time,” said Chief Schapelhouman.
