New Energy Photovoltaic
New energy photovoltaic power generation, wind power generation and charging stations are the core facilities for the utilization of clean energy and the support of transportation. Photovoltaic power stations and wind farms are mostly built in open outdoor areas, while charging stations are distributed in residential areas, roads, parking lots and other scenarios. All of them are exposed to complex natural environments for a long time, with a prominent risk of lightning strikes. Lightning strikes can easily damage photovoltaic modules, wind turbine equipment and charging station terminals through direct strikes, induction, line conduction and ground potential rebound, resulting in power generation interruption, charging failures, and even triggering safety accidents such as fires and equipment damage. This solution is based on GB 50057-2010 "Building Lightning Protection Design Code", GB 50343-2012 "Building Electronic Information System Lightning Protection Technical Code" and relevant standards in the new energy industry. It combines the scene characteristics and lightning protection pain points of photovoltaic, wind power and charging stations to build a comprehensive lightning protection system, taking into account practicality and economy, to provide a guarantee for the safe and stable operation of the facilities.
I. External Direct Lightning Protection Measures. Given the open-air nature of photovoltaic power stations, wind farms, and outdoor charging stations, direct lightning risks are the primary concern. For the roof and outdoor arrays of photovoltaic power stations, metal components on the roof are prioritized as lightning arresters. In non-metallic roof areas, φ12 hot-dip galvanized round steel lightning protection strips are laid out, using the bullseye method to ensure that all photovoltaic modules are fully covered. For wind farm wind turbine towers, special lightning arresters are installed at the top, made of φ14 hot-dip galvanized round steel, ensuring that the wind turbine cabins and blades are within the protection range. Charging stations are separately equipped with small lightning arrestors, reliably connected to the charging shelters and supports. Down conductors are primarily utilized from the metal brackets of equipment and the tower structures themselves. For non-metallic brackets, φ10 hot-dip galvanized round steel artificial down conductors are laid out, with disconnect clips set at a height of 0.3 - 1.8 meters from the ground. The grounding system adopts a combination of ring-shaped horizontal grounding bodies and vertical grounding electrodes. The horizontal grounding bodies use 25×4mm hot-dip galvanized flat steel (with a burial depth of ≥0.8 meters), and the vertical grounding electrodes use 50×50×5mm hot-dip galvanized angle steel (with a length of ≥2.5 meters), spaced 5 - 10 meters apart, with a grounding resistance of ≤4Ω. In areas with high soil resistivity, graphite grounding modules are added for optimization.
II. Internal Induction Lightning and Line Protection Measures. Focus on power supplies and signal lines to prevent the risk of induction lightning conduction. The power system is protected in a hierarchical manner: the main distribution rooms of photovoltaic power stations and wind farms install Class I SPD (10/350μs, Imax ≥ 50kA), the sectional distribution boxes install Class II SPD (8/20μs, In ≥ 40kA), and the photovoltaic module junction boxes, wind turbine control cabinets, and charging station terminals are equipped with Class III fine protection SPD. For signal lines, special signal SPDs are installed on photovoltaic inverters, wind turbine control systems, and charging station communication interfaces. Cables use shielded cables, are laid in metal pipes or metal troughs and grounded at both ends, and the strong and weak current lines are separately laid with a spacing of ≥ 0.5m to avoid cross-interference and reduce the impact of induction lightning.
III. Targeted Protection for Special Equipment. For the three types of core equipment, differentiated protection measures are adopted. For photovoltaic modules: the frame of the module should be reliably grounded, the combiner box and inverter should be well sealed to prevent rainwater from seeping in, and a dedicated SPD should be installed on the inverter to prevent damage to the core circuit due to surges. For wind power equipment: the nacelle and hub shell of the wind turbine should be reliably grounded, the blades should be equipped with lightning protection down conductors, the control system should use shielded lines to avoid turbine shutdown due to lightning strikes; the central control room of the wind farm should be shielded by a Faraday cage, and all equipment should be uniformly connected to the main grounding busbar. For charging piles: the terminal housing and the metal parts of the charging gun should be reliably grounded, a dedicated SPD should be installed at the power input end, waterproof sealing should be done to avoid short circuits and electric shock accidents caused by lightning strikes, and outdoor charging piles should be additionally equipped with rainproof and lightning protection covers.
IV. Operation Management and Emergency Response. Establish a regular operation management mechanism to ensure the long-term effectiveness of the lightning protection system. For photovoltaic power stations and wind farms, conduct inspections every six months; for charging stations, conduct inspections every quarter. Focus on checking the corrosion of lightning arresters, the connection of down conductors, the performance of SPDs, and the grounding resistance. Replace aging and damaged components in a timely manner. Establish an operation management ledger to record the installation, inspection, and maintenance details, enabling full-process traceability. Strengthen emergency response during thunderstorm seasons, formulate emergency plans, clearly define equipment inspection, fault repair, and personnel evacuation procedures. Quickly identify and repair equipment damage after a lightning strike and restore operation promptly. Regularly conduct professional training for operation personnel to enhance their capabilities in lightning protection detection and emergency response.
This plan strictly adheres to industry standards, specifically addressing the lightning protection issues of photovoltaic, wind power, and charging stations. It simplifies the construction process, takes into account both protection effectiveness and economic efficiency, and can be directly implemented. Through comprehensive protection, it effectively intercepts direct lightning strikes and suppresses induced lightning, reducing the probability of equipment failures and safety accidents, and truly ensuring the safe and stable operation of new energy facilities, thereby facilitating the promotion of clean energy and the upgrading of transportation infrastructure.

