June 16, 2025, 9:55 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Storms with lightning and thunder are becoming increasingly common. Severe weather events no longer seem to be a rarity. Does this pose disadvantages for homeowners with solar panels on their roofs?
It’s thundering and lightning, the storm is in full swing. As a solar panel owner, you might feel a bit uneasy. Do solar panels attract lightning? What happens to the solar panel on the roof if lightning strikes? myHOMEBOOK asked the experts.
Can a Solar Panel Attract Lightning?
During a thunderstorm with lightning and thunder, the thought may arise whether the solar panel on the roof could favor a lightning strike. After all, it is the highest point on the building, and with the material, it’s not entirely clear if it can attract lightning. Carsten Körnig, CEO of the German Solar Industry Association, reassures myHOMEBOOK: “No, according to current knowledge, solar panels, like other metals, do not attract lightning. Where lightning strikes has more to do with the height of an object, as lightning seeks the shortest path.”
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Can Lightning Damage the Solar Panel?
Even though solar panels do not attract lightning, it is still possible for a strike to occur. In the event of an actual lightning strike, the system could potentially be damaged, Körnig explains: “If solar panels are not protected against a lightning strike, components of the system can be destroyed, either directly or indirectly through surges from nearby lightning strikes.” However, this can be prevented by installing internal and external lightning protection, he further explains.
“Internal lightning protection involves installing surge protectors on the DC and AC sides of the PV system. The effectiveness of the surge protectors is enabled by a seamless potential equalization of the building. External lightning protection is achieved through lightning arresters.”
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However, the relevant standards, such as DIN VDE 0100-534, must be observed during installation, the expert emphasizes. “If a PV system is installed with external lightning protection, the system must be integrated into the lightning protection, which also changes the conditions for internal lightning protection. Otherwise, separation distances between the PV system and the external lightning protection system must be observed,” Körnig says.
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Is Lightning Protection Mandatory if I Have a Solar Panel on the Roof?
In general, you are not required to install lightning protection, the expert says. However, there can be an exception if the obligation for lightning protection already existed. “Usually, a risk assessment determines whether the planning of lightning or surge protection is undertaken. Some insurers, following the recommendation of the Association of Property Insurers, require lightning and surge protection for systems from 10 kW, which must then be executed according to lightning protection class III and VDE standards. However, this is a private agreement between the policyholder and the insurer.”