Suffolk County Council has taken the significant step of temporarily deactivating solar panels at approximately 80 schools across the county. This decision comes as a direct response to a recent fire at Sidegate Primary School in Ipswich, which is the third such incident within a year where solar panels are believed to be a contributing factor.
The council announced its move, stating that the panels installed at Sidegate Primary in 2012, along with those at Brooklands Primary in Brantham in March and East Bergholt Primary in August 2023, have prompted this widespread precautionary action. While there is currently no firm evidence to suggest a common cause or conclusive link between the three fires, the repeated involvement of solar panels has led to the temporary shutdown to eliminate potential risks.
Engineers are scheduled to visit the affected schools, which are part of the council's solar programme, within the next two weeks to isolate the panel systems. Sarah-Jane Smedmor, executive director of children and young people at the council, emphasised that the priority is the safety of children, young people, and staff. She stated that the council "cannot take the risk that those incidents were unrelated or coincidental" and must act with precaution.
Energy expert Tony Slade commented that it is improbable the solar panels themselves, largely composed of glass, would ignite. Instead, he suggested that fires linked to solar panel systems are more likely attributable to issues such as incorrectly sized or damaged wiring, or faults within the inverter – the device that converts the power generated by the panels into usable electricity. While high air temperatures can affect such systems, most are designed to withstand conditions well beyond expected ambient temperatures.
Ash Lever, Green group spokesperson for education, highlighted the general stress on electrical systems during hot weather, advocating for regular safety checks. Mr. Slade supported the council's decision as sensible until the definitive causes of the fires are established, but stressed that this appears to be a problem related to electrical system specification, installation, and maintenance, rather than an inherent issue with renewable energy itself.