Photovoltaic (PV) solar systems are becoming more popular than ever as we strive to convert sunlight into electricity to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. But these systems also carry an emerging risk.

That’s according to Mark Cousins, a partner at Burgoynes, who specialises in investigating fires, explosions and other major incidents.

Australia has the highest uptake of solar PV systems globally, with around 3.4 million rooftop installations in use, according to the Clean Energy Regulator.

Identifying the cause

Cousins, who will address the ANZIIF Australian Liability Conference in Sydney in October, says as more PV solar systems are installed, reports of fires attributable to them are becoming more frequent. 

He notes that where the fire is the result of the solar system, poor installation accounts for most of the incidents.

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