April 18, 2017, 2:30pm. A solar farm was on fire at Snarlton Farm on Sandridge Hill near Melksham, Wiltshire. Fire engines from Melksham, Trowbridge, Calne and Bradford On Avon raced to the scene.
Trowbridge Fire Station tweeted from the incident:
“Currently dealing with Solar Farm fire. As you can see the fire is being driven by some pretty spectacular voltages.”
That single statement reveals the fundamental challenge: solar panels cannot be switched off. Every beam of daylight hitting those panels meant more power feeding the fire, more voltage threatening responders, and more risk for crews trying to contain it.
The Equipment Gap
In 2017, firefighters had few good options. CO₂ extinguishers offered only limited control on large arrays. Water, though effective in many fires, carried a serious electrocution risk when used near live panels. Defensive perimeters were often the safest choice, allowing fires to burn themselves out while crews protected nearby structures and waited for darkness.
Traditional firefighting tools were never designed for energised solar systems. The result was a series of impossible choices between saving assets and staying alive.
The Cost of Solar Fires
The Sandridge Hill fire highlighted just how costly these incidents can be. The immediate losses were clear – damaged infrastructure worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, extended downtime and lost revenue, and expensive emergency responses. But the longer-term consequences were equally serious.
Fires at renewable energy sites often trigger insurance complications, regulatory investigations, and rising premiums. The environmental impact can also be significant, with toxic smoke, contaminated runoff, and the disposal of damaged modules. Perhaps most damaging of all is the blow to public confidence in clean energy infrastructure.
How PVSTOP Changes the Outcome
If Trowbridge Fire Station had access to PVSTOP that afternoon, the response could have looked very different. Within seconds of application, PVSTOP would have coated the panels, blocking sunlight and de-energising them at the source. Those “spectacular voltages” would have dropped to zero, removing the threat of electrocution and allowing crews to work directly on the fire instead of defending from afar.
By isolating the energy at its source, PVSTOP transforms how solar fires are managed. Instead of watching valuable assets burn, firefighters can take immediate, targeted action. The result is faster containment, reduced damage, and fewer environmental risks. Once the site is secure, the protective coating can remain in place for up to a year, giving assessors time to inspect and safely restore undamaged panels to service.
From Firefighting to Fire Prevention
Today, leading fire services around the world – including the London Fire Brigade, FDNY, and emergency agencies across Australia – have made PVSTOP standard equipment. The reason is simple. It allows instant de-energisation, delivered safely from a distance, while its fire-retardant formula prevents the spread of flames and encapsulates toxic materials released by damaged panels.
PVSTOP has also become an essential tool beyond emergency response. Solar operators and maintenance crews use it to de-energise sections of an array during repairs, isolate storm-damaged panels, or safely decommission systems. It has become a recognised mitigation measure for insurers and regulators alike.
The Growing Risks
Since the Wiltshire incident, the UK’s installed solar capacity has grown dramatically. Many of the systems built under the Feed-in Tariff era (2010–2019) are now ageing, with higher voltages and increased maintenance requirements. With that growth comes greater potential for electrical faults, arcing, and fire.
The question is not whether another solar farm fire will occur – it is whether fire services and operators will be ready when it does.
Closing the Safety Gap
When firefighters in Trowbridge described those “spectacular voltages” in 2017, they unknowingly pinpointed a global safety challenge. Modern renewable energy systems demand modern protection strategies.
PVSTOP bridges the gap between clean energy and safety, giving firefighters and solar professionals the power to de-energise systems instantly and safely. It protects people, property, and the long-term reputation of solar energy.
The Sandridge Hill fire showed what happens when responders face live solar systems without the right tools. The next one doesn’t have to.
When Australia’s Energy Minister Warned: “25% of Solar Installations Are Unsafe”
The Warning That Shook the Solar Industry
December 2018: Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor sent an urgent letter to state counterparts with a stark message:
lives could be at risk from unsafe or substandard solar installations across Australia.
His warning wasn’t speculation. It was based on a national audit report that found up to one-quarter of all rooftop solar installations inspected since 2011 posed a “severe or high risk.”
Speaking on 6PR, Minister Taylor didn’t mince words: “Up to 25% of the installations are faulty in some form and some of them in a very serious way. It’s crucial that the states put in place the right framework to make sure we deal with this issue appropriately and we avoid any kind of risk to people’s lives.“
He even invoked the spectre of the pink batts fiasco – a government program that resulted in four deaths and over 200 house fires.
The Numbers Behind the Warning
The Clean Energy Regulator’s audit revealed troubling patterns across 24,371 inspections:
Annual unsafe/substandard ratings: 21.7% to 25.7% of inspected installations each year (with brief improvements in 2012-2013)
80% of “unsafe” installations were caused by water ingress in DC isolator enclosures on rooftops
“Unsafe” installations averaged 4.2% in early years, dropped to 1.9% in 2017, then climbed back to 2.7% in 2018
With over 2 million solar installations across Australia, even these “improved” percentages represent hundreds of thousands of potentially dangerous systems.
What “Unsafe” Actually Means
The audit’s most consistent finding? Water ingress in DC isolator enclosures.
These rooftop-mounted electrical boxes are meant to isolate power from solar panels. But when water gets inside, they become:
Arcing hazards – Creating electrical sparks that can ignite fires
Electrocution risks – Exposed live connections threatening anyone working nearby
Fire triggers – Particularly dangerous during hot, sunny conditions when damaged systems
heat up
The problem isn’t theoretical. DC isolators sitting exposed on Australian roofs for years, baking in the sun, enduring storms and temperature extremes – they degrade. Seals fail. Water finds its way in.
Then the Hailstorms Hit
Just days after Minister Taylor’s warning, catastrophic hailstorms tore through Sydney in December 2018.
Damaged panels still generating potentially lethal DC electricity
No practical way to isolate power at the source
Standard operating procedures calling for 3-8 meter exclusion zones
Thousands of damaged systems across NSW
The Moorebank incident three days later proved the danger. A factory’s hail-damaged rooftop solar system had power isolated after the storm. But when hot, sunny conditions returned, the damaged panels began arcing. The result? A significant roof fire that threatened the entire facility.
The damaged panels were still trying to generate power – and that’s what made them dangerous.
The Industry’s Response
The Clean Energy Council defended the industry’s record, noting that unsafe installations had declined from 4.2% to 2.7% – “better than the electrical industry as a whole.”
Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Kane Thornton emphasized that “a single part of a solar power system that is not completely up to standard does not mean a system is unsafe.”
Fair points, but they miss the fundamental issue that the December 2018 hailstorms exposed: even properly installed systems become dangerous when damaged, because the panels can’t be switched off.
The Three Compounding Problems
Problem 1: Installation Quality – One-quarter of systems inspected had issues, primarily water ingress in DC isolators creating fire and electrocution risks.
Problem 2: Aging Systems – Solar systems from the Feed-in Tariff boom (2010-2015) are now 10-15 years old. Components degrade. Seals fail. Inspection rates remain low.
Problem 3: Storm Damage – When hail, storms, or other events damage panels, they remain energized. There’s no practical way to isolate power at the source – until now.
What Emergency Services Faced
After the December 2018 hailstorms, fire and emergency services had three options:
Option 1: Establish exclusion zones and wait
Contradicts their mission to protect communities
Allows damage to escalate
Leaves dangerous systems energized indefinitely
Option 2: Use tarps to cover panels
Dangerous practice requiring personnel to approach live equipment
Tarps can slip, tear, or catch fire
Doesn’t eliminate electrical hazards
Option 3: Do nothing
Not acceptable for agencies charged with protecting the public
Leaves property owners and communities at risk
None of these were good options. Fire services needed a fourth option.
The Solution That Didn’t Exist – Until PVSTOP
When Minister Taylor warned about unsafe installations and the hailstorms hit days later, emergency services discovered a critical gap in their capabilities. Traditional methods couldn’t safely address damaged, energized solar systems.
PVSTOP was developed specifically to fill this gap.
Applied from up to 10 meters away – no approaching live equipment
Blocks light from reaching PV cells, stopping power generation at the source
Reduces DC current to zero within 7 seconds
Remains protective for up to 12 months after application
Peels off easily, allowing undamaged panels to return to service
What this means for the scenarios Minister Taylor warned about:
Water-damaged DC isolators? PVSTOP eliminates the power generation that makes them dangerous, allowing safe inspection and repair. Hail-damaged systems? Applied immediately after storms, PVSTOP prevents the secondary fires that occurred at Moorebank and other locations. Substandard installations? Systems can be de-energized at the source for safe remediation work. Emergency response? Firefighters can eliminate electrical hazards in seconds, enabling direct engagement rather than defensive tactics.
Beyond Emergency Response
PVSTOP’s applications extend to the everyday safety issues the audit highlighted:
Maintenance and repairs – De-energize sections for safe work on installations with compliance issues
System inspections – Allow thorough electrical safety assessments without waiting for nightfall Storm preparation – Pre-position PVSTOP at facilities with large arrays for rapid deployment if needed
Decommissioning – Safely de-energize aging systems identified as high-risk during inspections Insurance compliance – Demonstrate proactive risk mitigation for commercial installations
What’s Changed Since 2018?
Minister Taylor’s warning and the December 2018 hailstorms were wake-up calls. Since then:
What’s improved:
Greater awareness of solar safety issues
Enhanced inspection protocols
Better installer training and accountability
Improved component standards
What hasn’t changed:
Solar panels still can’t be switched off when exposed to light
Hundreds of thousands of older systems remain uninspected
Storm damage continues to create dangerous situations
Emergency services still need source-level de-energization capability
The Questions Every Solar Owner Should Ask
For residential systems:
When was your system last inspected by a qualified professional?
Are your DC isolators showing signs of weather damage or corrosion?
Is your installer still accredited by the Clean Energy Council?
Does your insurance cover storm damage to solar components?
For commercial installations:
Do you have a documented plan for responding to solar system damage?
Are your local fire services aware of your solar arrays and their specifications?
What’s your duty of care obligation to workers and emergency responders?
How quickly could you de-energize damaged panels after a storm?
For emergency services:
What equipment do you carry for solar-specific incidents?
How do your SOGs address damaged but energized arrays?
What training have crews received on solar hazards?
Do you have source-level de-energization capability?
The Real Message Behind the Warning
When Minister Taylor warned that “25% of installations are faulty in some form,” he wasn’t just criticizing installation standards. He was highlighting a systemic safety gap in how we deploy and maintain solar technology.
The December 2018 hailstorms proved his concerns were well-founded. Thousands of damaged systems. No practical way to make them safe. Emergency services forced into defensive positions. Secondary fires days after the initial damage.
The solar industry had grown faster than the safety infrastructure needed to support it.
Making Australian Solar Safer
Australia leads the world in rooftop solar adoption – over 3 million installations and counting. This success brings responsibility: ensuring that growth doesn’t compromise safety.
PVSTOP is part of that solution. By providing source-level de-energization capability, it addresses the fundamental challenge that Minister Taylor’s warning and the 2018 hailstorms exposed: solar panels don’t have an “off switch.”
Whether it’s a substandard installation needing remediation, a storm-damaged system requiring isolation, or an emergency response to a solar fire, PVSTOP gives responders and solar professionals the tool they’ve been missing.
Because Minister Taylor was right to warn us. And the industry needs to respond with more than just better installation standards – it needs solutions that work when things go wrong.
Take Action on Solar Safety
Emergency Services: Request demonstrations and technical briefings for your brigade Solar Industry Professionals: Access training on PVSTOP deployment for maintenance and emergency scenarios Facility Managers: Schedule risk assessments for commercial solar installations Solar System Owners: Arrange inspections if your system is over 5 years old or shows signs of weather damage
Learn how PVSTOP stopped a dangerous solar panel fire at a London school protecting students and facilities.
When a fire broke out on the roof of a London school, what could have become a serious incident was swiftly contained thanks to quick-thinking firefighters and an innovative solar safety product — PVSTOP.
According to the London Fire Brigade, crews were called to reports of smoke coming from solar panels at a South London school. Upon arrival, they discovered a solar panel fire spreading across the array. Because solar panels continue to generate electricity even when disconnected, tackling such fires can be dangerous for firefighters, posing the risk of electrocution.
Firefighters turn to science
To make the area safe, the attending crews used PVSTOP — a specially designed, non-conductive spray-on polymer that isolates and suppresses the electrical output of solar panels. When applied, PVSTOP forms a temporary protective coating that blocks light and immediately stops energy production from the panels, allowing firefighters to work without risk of electric shock.
In this case, the product allowed the London Fire Brigade to extinguish the flames quickly and prevent further damage to the building. The Brigade later described the outcome as an example of “sticky science” saving the day.
The growing challenge of solar panel fires
Solar energy systems are becoming increasingly common on schools, homes, and businesses across the UK and Australia. However, as installations rise, so does the potential for electrical faults and fire hazards. A solar panel fire can spread rapidly if not isolated — and because PV systems continue to produce live voltage when exposed to light, traditional firefighting methods aren’t always effective.
PVSTOP’s role in fire safety
PVSTOP — developed and manufactured in Australia — is the only liquid solution designed specifically to make solar panels electrically safe in an emergency. It can be applied manually, via a hose line, or through portable pressure vessels for rapid deployment.
Once the incident is under control, the polymer can be safely peeled or washed away, leaving the panels intact. The product has been independently tested and approved by international fire authorities and is increasingly being adopted by emergency services and facility managers worldwide.
For organisations looking to enhance their solar safety protocols, PVSTOP offers a simple, effective way to manage the risk of a solar panel fire. More information on how the system works and its applications in both emergency response and preventative maintenance can be found on the PVSTOP Products page or in the FAQ section.
A lesson in prevention
The London school fire serves as a powerful reminder of how science and innovation can protect lives and property. What might have been a costly and dangerous event was contained without injury — thanks to the right tools and informed decision-making.
As the use of solar energy continues to expand globally, so too must awareness of fire safety in photovoltaic systems. PVSTOP’s success in London demonstrates that preparation and technology can work hand-in-hand to prevent disaster — and ensure that clean energy remains both sustainable and safe.
