Seismic response of solar energy generation systems

In the last few years, while seeking specific climate change impact mitigation targets, solar energy generation systems have become more and more popular, as one of the main sources of clean energy. However, roof mounted solar panels are often installed without a proper design of the supporting structures, in particular with respect to natural hazards, such as earthquakes. Because solar cells are sensitive to both horizontal and vertical accelerations, neglecting the installation detailing, aimed at reducing the accelerations transferred by the supporting structures to the solar panels, could become an issue even for low seismic intensities, compromising the significant investments made to install the energy generation system. This paper investigates the seismic response of solar energy generation systems mounted on the roof of strategic facilities. A cascading approach is adopted to define the seismic demand to which the solar energy generation systems are prone. To do so, a set of floor acceleration time histories is first generated by analysing a supporting structure located in a medium-high seismic hazard zone in Italy. Then, the seismic response of the energy generation system is investigated to highlight the critical issues found in typical installation practice.