Grounding design and analysis for personnel safety in wind and solar power plants

Wind and PV solar power plants present vastly different grounding requirements from that of a traditional power plant or a substation. Much of these challenges have to do with the large area covered by the plants, but also with the varying soil and fault conditions over this area. The IEEE Wind and Solar Plant Collector Design Working Group recently published two new IEEE guides on wind (IEEE Std 2760) and solar (IEEE Std 2778) power plant grounding design and analysis, we look to share recommended approaches with individuals designing these facilities or analyzing their grounding systems. Half of this tutorial will present the key aspects regarding wind power plant grounding, and half will focus on solar power plant grounding. Each half will include a presentation of a sample project and the steps taken in the design and analysis process.