EN 
PT_BR 
A structure from the ceiling of a gas station which contained a solar energy system installed it fell during a temporal, in the early afternoon of last Friday (03), in the municipality of Paranaíba (MS). At the time, winds exceeding 50 km/h were recorded.
The Fire Department was called to respond to the incident, which – despite not causing any injuries – is yet another episode what reinforces The need of installation companies understand the importance of carrying out a specialized technical and structural assessment.
Eliasafe Schwertner, civil engineer and professor of the civil engineering course for solar energy systems at Solar Channel, explains that many gas stations for Brazil usually have a roof structure that is relatively fragile.
“It is common for them to become twisted or even fall when stronger winds appear because it is a structure that normally only has one or two support points underneath,” he said.
For this reason, the engineer guides the companies in the solar energy sector forever check (before installing a photovoltaic system) whether the structure of the installation site is in good condition.
“If the structure is not ok, the owner should be advised to make the necessary improvements. An ART (Technical Responsibility Note) will also be required approving that the necessary corrections have all been carried out”, he commented.
Schwertner also remembers that if nothing from that is done is structure fall with solar panels, The responsibility of the incident may affect the installing company, even if it has carried out all the installation work with correct fixing structures.
“As it is an engineering work, it is the installing company’s duty to first check whether the client’s roof structure is suitable for receiving this type of application”, he commented.
2 Responses
That's why depending on the structure it was much more expensive.
I am an Electrical Engineer and a solar plant at a gas station recently.
I recommended that the client ask for a structural report signed by a Civil Engineer, to find out how much load the station's roof structure would withstand.
Only after the report was in my hand did I calculate the weight of the panels with their respective structures, along with the power sizing.
This work is no joke, it's not for curious people who arrive putting panels on clients' roofs without first carrying out a prior analysis.
Poor work, in addition to causing material damage, puts people's lives at risk.
I am a solar installer, and before ordering the system for the customer, we inspect the site to avoid errors.