Rapid expansion of roof mounted PV systems in commercial facilities - How can they be insured?

Sammanfattning: PV system components that are exposed to unmanageable strain can be overheated, which subsequently results in a fire ignition. Common failure factors are poor component quality, mechanical exposure due to natural phenomena and poor craftmanship. The underlying problem is that PV regulations are lacking in quality or are non-existent. The rapid expansion of roof mounted PV system installation on commercial facilities, therefore led to the question “How can they be insured?”. This question was answered by the support of three research questions: “What is known in the scientific literature and the insurance industry about PV component failures and installation errors over the last 10 years?”; “What challenges and gaps in regulations of PV components, systems and installations are found in the insurance industry and are they described in the scientific literature?”; “What changes in PV regulations and demands are expected to be seen in a near future?” The research methodology consisted of a scoping study of scientific literature and a primary data collection performed as interviews with insurance company representatives. Relevant answers were provided, such as common component failures and recommendations for future insurance policies. The conclusion was that the development of new regulations that can be applied to the whole insurance industry relies on improvement of aspects such as definitions, technical understanding, and safety proactiveness. The implementation of these factors would make it easier for insurance companies to understand, assess and evaluate the risks related to a PV system. Consequently, when the underwriter is deciding on a premium, the pricing will be in line with the risk spectrum. This would preserve the risk appetite for future insurance policies.