CONTRACT REPORT

CR-NAVFAC-EXWC-PW-1504
APRIL 2015

Renewable Energy, Photovoltaic Systems

Near Airfields: Electromagnetic Interference

Geoff Dann, NAVFAC EXWC

Chris Deline, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

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10-04-2015 Contract Report Dec 2014 – Mar 2015
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER
Interagency Agreement 12-1869
Renewable Energy, Photovoltaic Systems Near Airfields: Electromagnetic 5b. GRANT NUMBER
Interference NA
5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER

6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER

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Geoff Dann, NAVFAC EXWC
Chris Deline, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
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NAVFAC Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center CR-NAVFAC-EXWC-PW-1504
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Port Hueneme, CA 93043
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Distribution approved for public release: distribution unlimited

.13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

14. ABSTRACT
Recent increases in photovoltaic systems on Department of the Navy (DON) land and potential siting near airfields prompted this
assessment of the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) from photovoltaic (PV) systems, on airfield electronic equipment.
Existing literature is summarized, and tests to measure emissions and mitigation methods are discussed. The literature shows that
the emissions from typical PV systems are low strength and unlikely to cause interference to most airfield electronic systems. With
diligent procurement and siting of PV systems, including specifications for FCC Part 15 Class A compliant equipment and a 250-
foot setback from communication equipment, little to no EMI impact on nearby communications or telemetry equipment is
anticipated.

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16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF:
OF ABSTRACT OF PAGES Geoff Dann
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UU 16
U U U 805-982-1366
Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98)
Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18

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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recent increases in photovoltaic (PV) systems on Department of the Navy (DON) land and
potential siting near airfields prompted Commander, Naval Installations Command to fund the
Naval Facilities Engineering Command to evaluate the impact of electromagnetic interference
(EMI) from PV systems on airfield electronic equipment. Naval Facilities Engineering and
Expeditionary Warfare Center tasked Department of Energy National Renewable Energy
laboratory (NREL) to conduct the assessment.

PV systems often include high-speed switching semiconductor circuits to convert the voltage
produced by the PV arrays to the voltage needed by the end user. Switching circuits inherently
produce electromagnetic radiation at harmonics of the switching frequency.

In this report, existing literature is summarized and tests to measure emissions and mitigation
methods are discussed. The literature shows that the emissions from typical PV systems are low
strength and unlikely to cause interference to most airfield electronic systems. With diligent
procurement and siting of PV systems, including specifications for FCC Part 15 Class A
compliant equipment and a 250-foot setback from communication equipment, NREL anticipates
little to no EMI impact on nearby communications or telemetry equipment.

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 DISCLAIMER

This document has been authored by employees of the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
(Alliance) under Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308 with the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE).

This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States
government. Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof; nor any of their
employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus,
product, or process disclosed; or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights.
Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name,
trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement,
recommendation, or favoring by the United States government or any agency thereof. The views
and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United
States government or any agency thereof.

NREL may retain an electronic version of this document and maintain an internal record in its
publication database that identifies the document title, the NREL author(s), and the coordinating
NREL Center/Office.

The document may be used internally or cited with the permission of either the NREL
Responsible Manager or the Department of Navy point of contact.

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Contents

INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................1

TYPICAL PV EMISSION LEVELS ...............................................................................................2

TYPICAL EMISSION SPECTRA AND COUNTERMEASURES ...............................................3

RADIATED MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE ..............................................................................3

OTHER RF INTERACTIONS ........................................................................................................4

SUMMARY .....................................................................................................................................4

BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................5

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INTRODUCTION

Directives to reduce the military’s carbon footprint have led to an increased interest in
photovoltaic (PV) systems deployed on military installations in the U.S. Sites near airfields are
proving to be suitable for the deployment of PV systems, in addition to the customary locations
on buildings and in open areas. However, specific considerations must be taken when deploying
PV near sensitive communications or navigation equipment that is typically found near civilian
and military airfields.

Recent publications have provided guidelines for locating PV systems near civilian or military
airfields. The main siting challenges relate to glint and glare that can occur from PV modules
when the sun is at a high incidence angle, as well as observing keep-away zones on approach
paths. Excellent summaries detailing the challenge of deploying PV near airports include the
FAA’s 2010 Solar Guide [FAA, 2010] and other summaries such as [Barrett, 2011] and [Kandt,
2014]. Specific guidance on glint and glare can also be found on Sandia National Laboratory’s
website at www.sandia.gov/glare.

This white paper addresses one aspect of PV interaction that is underserved in the literature—
electromagnetic interference (EMI). Typically, this phrase is taken to mean radio frequency
(RF) emissions, emanating from PV systems, that are impacting nearby radio receivers. This can
also include any blocking or attenuation of nearby radar or communications by the PV system.
Although the risk of EMI from PV systems is typically very low, it does merit evaluation in
order to improve the confidence of site owners and other stakeholders.

Several case studies have indicated that EMI from PV installations are low risk. For instance,
the FAA Solar Guide states that:

“Due to their low profiles, solar PV systems typically represent little risk of interfering
with radar transmissions. In addition, solar panels do not emit electromagnetic waves
over distances that could interfere with radar signal transmissions. Any electrical
facilities that do carry concentrated current are buried beneath the ground and away
from any signal transmission.”

Also, a recent Air Force Tiger Team investigation into PV near airbases found the following:

“Prior research and field investigations of electromagnetic emission (EME) from Solar PV
arrays concluded that they produce extremely low frequency EME similar to electrical
appliances and wiring. At a distance of 150 feet from the inverters, these fields dropped
back to very low levels of 0.5 mG or less, and in many cases to much less than background
levels (<0.2 mG).
When considering sites for a PV array in close proximity to airfield instruments, the
tolerance of the equipment to EME should be considered. If of concern, the methodology

1
 developed by the Air Force Research Lab for the ACC study can be applied in an
engineering evaluation to validate a no-impact determination.” 1

TYPICAL PV EMISSION LEVELS

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) CFR Title 47, Part 15 regulates RF emissions
from commercial products. Compliance with Part 15 is not a requirement for large-scale power
generation equipment, but many PV inverter manufacturers do qualify their residential or utility-
scale equipment to this standard and it is easily validated when procuring equipment.

The FCC limits specify an upper bound on the amount of radiated emission that can be tolerated
for a listed product. In practice, the amount of actual radiation from PV systems is typically so
small as to be immeasurable above background RF noise. Multiple investigations into the topic
were unable to detect any radiated EMI [Bonn, 1997; Piazza 2004]. This is explained by the low
switching frequency of the PV inverter relative to RF frequencies; fundamental switching
frequencies in the inverter are approximately tens of kHz, with higher-order harmonics only up
to ~10 MHz [Araneo 2009]. These long-wavelength modes do not effectively couple to the
outside environment, thereby limiting the strength of any radiated emission. Additionally,
proper enclosure grounding, filtering, and circuit layout further reduce conducted and radiated
emission.

To illustrate the relative emissions for FCC-compliant equipment, the following plot shows field
strength vs. distance for a transmitting cell phone, and the maximum output of a FCC-compliant
inverter. Comparing the field strength of both devices, the maximum expected field strength for
a compliant inverter at a distance of 100 feet is comparable to the field strength of a cell phone a
mile away. This is likely to be indistinguishable from background noise.

1
Extracted from the unpublished “Solar PV Compatibility Project Tiger Team Final Report,” developed
by a Tiger Team assembled by the Air Force Encroachment Management Working Group. NREL
received a copy from Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic.

2
 Field strength maximum (dBuV/m) 75
Cell Phone

50

<- Detection threshold ->

25

FCC Class A (30 MHz)

1 mile
0 |
10 100 1,000 10,000
Distance from source in feet (logarithmic)

Figure 1: Measured transmit signal power (logarithmic dBuV/m) for a typical cell phone (red) and
maximum allowed FCC class ‘A’ emission at 30 MHz.

Other pieces of PV systems equipment, such as step-up transformers, are not a source of EMI
because of their low frequency (60 Hz) operation.

TYPICAL EMISSION SPECTRA AND COUNTERMEASURES

Compliance with FCC Part 15 radiated specification does not guarantee a lack of interference.
Sensitive receivers operating below 30 MHz may be affected, e.g., AM radios. In particular,
compatibility with nearby aeronautic navigation aids such as non-directional radio beacons
(NDB) should be assessed. Plots of internal conducted emissions for commercial PV inverters
(e.g., Araneo, 2009) show that internal frequencies attenuate rapidly at frequencies above 300
kHz. This suggests that any interaction between PV systems and nearby communications
equipment is only likely to occur at frequencies below 1 MHz, if at all.

In the unlikely event of interactions with nearby receivers or transmitters in these low frequency
ranges, options are available to address the interference. Although commercial inverters are
equipped with inductor-capacitor (LC) filters that are optimized for system efficiency and cost,
aftermarket LC filters can be installed to attenuate RF emissions at specific frequencies causing
undesired interaction. Additional countermeasures may include enhanced equipment grounding
of the PV modules, or specifying an inverter that solidly grounds negative PV conductors rather
than leaving PV conductors ungrounded.

RADIATED MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE

To conduct field measurements of radiated emission, a wide-band spectrum analyzer with

sensitivity down to 150 kHz is required, along with an appropriate antenna. At high frequencies
(> 1 GHz), a wideband antenna such as a bi-conical or log-periodic antenna has good response.

3
At frequencies below 30 MHz, the magnetic component of radiated emissions is typically
monitored using a current clamp or loop magnetic antenna. The spectral signature of radiated
emissions should be assessed both with the inverter turned off (background signature) and while
operating at full power to determine the inverter’s radiated emissions. A broadband increase in
the level of RF emissions would indicate the presence of radiated emission from the inverter.

OTHER RF INTERACTIONS

At frequencies greater than 1 GHz, the impact of PV systems on communications is limited to

the physical obstruction and reflection of these signals. This is particularly the case for
collimated line-of-sight signals such as laser or infrared communications. PV systems are
similar to other built structures such as buildings or sheds in that they are constructed of metal
and glass, and they are non-transmitting. Similar consideration due to reflection and multipath
should be given to PV systems, as well. In the FAA Solar Guide, several airport case studies
indicate that setbacks of 250–500 feet were maintained between new PV systems and existing
radar equipment. These setback values were sufficient to preclude impacts to the communication
equipment. Similar modest exclusion zones should be considered for other critical telemetry or
navigation equipment at civilian or military airfields.

SUMMARY

Photovoltaic inverters are inherently low-frequency devices that are not prone to radiating EMI.
No interference is expected above 1 MHz because of the inverters’ low-frequency operation. In
addition, interaction at lower frequencies (100 kHz–1 MHz) is also very low risk because of the
poor coupling of these extremely long wavelengths to free space, limiting propagation of the
signal. In some cases where PV systems were deployed near existing radar equipment, a setback
distance of 250–500 feet was implemented to minimize the physical blocking or reflection of the
radar signals by the PV system. A similar 250-foot setback near any other critical
communication equipment could be considered in order to attenuate any low-frequency emitted
radiation that may be produced by the PV system.

With diligent procurement and siting of PV systems, including specifications for FCC Part 15
Class A compliant equipment and a 250-foot setback from communication equipment, NREL
anticipates little to no EMI impact on nearby communications or telemetry equipment.

4
BIBLIOGRAPHY
General Airfield siting:

Air Force Civil Engineering Center, Planning and Integration Directorate, Regional Planning
Development Branch (2014). Solar PV Compatibility Project Tiger Team, Final report

Barrett, S. B., and P.M. DeVita (2011) Investigating Safety Impacts of Energy Technologies on
Airports and Aviation. Vol. 28. Transportation Research Board.
http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/acrp/acrp_syn_028.pdf

FAA Technical Guidance for Evaluating Selected Solar Technologies on Airports, (2010)
http://www.faa.gov/airports/environmental/policy_guidance/media/airport_solar_guide_print.pdf

Kandt A., Romero R., (2014) “Siting Solar Photovoltaics at airports”, Solar 2014 Conference
Proceedings, San Francisco, CA July 2014, NREL/CP-7A40-62304
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy14osti/62304.pdf

Glint/Glare:

Ho, C.K., C.M. Ghanbari, and R.B. Diver (2011), Methodology to Assess Potential Glint and
Glare Hazards From Concentrating Solar Power Plants: Analytical Models and Experimental
Validation, Journal of Solar Energy Engineering-Transactions of the ASME, 133(3).

Ho, C.K. and C.A. Sims,(2012), Solar Glare Hazard Analysis Tool (SGHAT) User’s Manual v.
1.0, Sandia National Laboratories, SAND2012-10761P, Albuquerque, NM., sandia.gov/glare.

EMI:

Araneo, R., S. Lammens, M. Grossi, and S. Bertone (2009). EMC Issues in High-Power Grid-
Connected Photovoltaic Plants, IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility, 51(3),
639–648.

Bonn, R. (1997), FCC Part 15 Rules and PV Systems, Sandia Technical Note, SAND97-1043

Di Piazza, M.C., G. Tine, C. Serporta, and G. Vitale (2004) Electromagnetic Compatibility

Characterization of the DC Side in a Low Power Photovoltaic Plant,” in Proc. IEEE Int. Conf.
Ind. Tech., 672–677.

Hong, S., and M. Zuercher-Martinson (2013). Harmonics and Noise in Photovoltaic (PV)
Inverter and the Mitigation Strategies. Solectria Renewables White Paper, accessed 9/2014
http://www.solectria.com//site/assets/files/1482/solectria_harmonics_noise_pv_inverters_white_
paper.pdf

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