Integrated Intelligent Lightning Protection for PV, Storage and New-Energy Stations

The lightning-protection challenge at PV, energy-storage and new-energy stations is not whether to install surge protective devices (SPDs), but that the protected objects are too scattered. Within one station, the PV array and inverters, the storage units, and the step-up collection system and grounding grid each face lightning differently, with differing grounding conditions and maintenance routines. If every point monitors only its own device, the protection state becomes fragmented. Integrated intelligent lightning protection builds above existing protective devices by turning scattered protection states into one data chain: unified sensing captures SPD status, lightning-current events and grounding status; unified aggregation connects them to one network; and a unified criterion — safety red lines, graded alarms and trend warning — forms a station-level basis for action. The "PV + storage + station" zoning and station-level criterion are a scenario-oriented organizing framework, not an existing product name.

Integration Is Not "One More Device" but One Data Chain

Traditionally each device gets its own SPD: module mounts, combiners, inverters, storage converters, communications and metering. That is necessary for discharge but cannot answer three station-level questions: how much margin each SPD has left, which zone was just struck, and which grounding point is degrading. Integration shows in three places: the sensing side reads the same type of quantities uniformly, the edge side aggregates and converts protocols uniformly, and the platform side applies one criterion and one presentation. It does not replace any SPD; it adds a layer of readability above the existing protection system.

Divide the Station into Protected-Object Zones, Then Unify

Divide a station by exposure and grounding into three object zones. The PV zone (large metal mounts, long-distance DC combiner runs) is exposed for long periods and focuses on SPD status and lightning-current events. The storage zone concentrates batteries and converters and is more sensitive to temperature and insulation, focusing on SPD status, residual current, temperature and grounding. The public zone (step-up collection, communications and metering, station grounding grid) focuses on grounding status and lightning-current events. New-energy stations fall within the applicable industries of lightning-protection monitoring. This zoning is an organizing method for answering "how to integrate" and is not an established standard classification.

Unified Sensing: The Same Readable Quantities Across Three Zones

The readable protection quantities are the same across zones; only placement differs. SPD status and lifetime are read by the FS surge protective device monitor (e.g. FS-00011-R), which covers remote signalling, air-switch status, grounding status, strike count, leakage current, temperature, voltage and lifetime estimation. Its key parameters include leakage current 50.0~1200.0 μA (±10 μA), voltage 0~400.0 V (±0.1 V), temperature -20~100 ℃ (±1 ℃), strike count 0~9999 (minimum trigger 0.1 kA) and lifetime estimation 0~100%. Where every element including humidity is required, use the ESM intelligent lightning-protection monitoring terminal (e.g. ESM-11312-R). For new complete packages, the FSS intelligent surge protective device (In/Imax from 10 kA/20 kA up to 40 kA/80 kA, Up 1.5 kV~2.2 kV) or the FSP SPD base (remote signalling input and strike counting) may be selected.

Lightning-current events are read by the FL lightning/transient current monitor (e.g. FL-01212-R): a wide range of 1 kA~120 kA with energy monitoring, and a narrow range of 0.1 kA~1 kA. Grounding status is read by the FR grounding resistance monitor (e.g. FR-01311-R), which uses the three-electrode method and can be installed outdoors. Surge protection for the DC side and for signal/network lines is handled by the YSE series: power arresters offer 20 kA~80 kA single-phase and three-phase ratings, Class D power arresters cover 220 V/48 V/24 V/12 V, and there are also signal, network and two-in-one arresters, lightning counters and a three-element SPD monitor.

Unified Aggregation: One Gateway and a Four-Layer Architecture

Scattered quantities must first be aggregated into a station-level view. The FG intelligent lightning-protection gateway (e.g. FG-0221-ER) is a protocol-conversion type with RS485/Zigbee downlink and Ethernet uplink, connecting each zone's monitoring modules to a unified link. The system has four layers: perception, edge, platform and application. Perception-layer protection and electrical monitoring modules upload through the edge gateway to the FEXCloud IoT platform; the application layer produces visualisation, alarms and reports. Device downlinks include Modbus RTU (RS485), Zigbee and LoRa; uplinks include Modbus TCP/MQTT and optional gateway-level IEC 61850. For a station-level quantity such as grounding, system-level reference parameters are: monitoring units covering 0-200 Ω (±1%) / 0-500 Ω (±0.5%) / 0.01-200 Ω explosion-proof, protection grade IP65, and an intelligent gateway able to mount ≥128 points with data caching of ≥15 days.

Unified Criterion: Safety Red Line, Graded Alarms and Trend Warning

Aggregation needs a criterion, or it is just a mass of curves. The first layer is a safety red line that cannot be bypassed: an abnormal open circuit of grounding resistance is one of the five non-bypassable safety red lines (per GB 50057); its threshold cannot be raised by anyone, and once triggered it directly outputs the highest-level alarm. The second layer is grading: a six-level alarm scheme divides urgency into Normal (85-100), Watch (70-84), YJ1 (55-69), YJ2 (40-54), BJ1 (20-39, handle within 48 hours) and BJ2 (0-19, stop immediately); it is supported by the D3 trend drift and D7 time-series risk score of a seven-dimensional sensing matrix, and a harmonic fingerprint library of 14 device fingerprints including PV inverters. The third layer is trend: the S-02 residual-current trend drift (CUSUM) of the Tianyan engine captures a weak mean shift while leakage is still safe, warning 4-12 weeks in advance, and its special topics include storage SOH. These criteria run on the Taiyi intelligent-control hub's seven-stage pipeline: L1 ingest → L2 cleansing → L3 safety red-line pre-check → L4 Qianzhi analysis → L5 Wanxiang assessment → L6 fusion decision → L7 persistence, under 2 seconds end to end, where an L3 red-line trigger outputs the highest-level alarm.

Selection: Three Object Zones and Recommended Combinations

Mapping the capabilities above onto the zones yields an optional selection table.

| Object zone | Key readable quantities | Recommended product combination |

|:--|:--|:--|

| PV zone (array / combiner / inverter) | SPD status and lifetime, lightning-current events | FS surge protective device monitor (e.g. FS-00011-R), ESM intelligent lightning-protection monitoring terminal (e.g. ESM-11312-R), FL lightning/transient current monitor (e.g. FL-01212-R); DC and signal sides may use YSE series arresters |

| Storage zone (battery / converter / container) | SPD status, residual current, temperature, grounding | ESM intelligent monitoring terminal (all elements incl. Humidity), FD mains (residual-current) monitoring module (e.g. FD-01011-R), FSS intelligent surge protective device (e.g. FSS-14100), FSP SPD base (e.g. FSP-21100-R) |

| Public zone (step-up / communications & metering / grounding grid) | Grounding status, lightning-current events | FR grounding resistance monitor (e.g. FR-01311-R, one set per point), FG intelligent lightning-protection gateway (e.g. FG-0221-ER), FEXCloud IoT platform |

The existing scenario comparison lists no dedicated "PV plant" or "storage station" row; the closest are three generic combinations: "substation/traction substation grounding-grid online monitoring", "tank-farm/petrochemical lightning and explosion protection" and "arrester condition monitoring (retrofit of existing SPDs)". The mapping above is therefore a scenario-based derivation applying generic combinations to new-energy stations; it does not mean a PV- or storage-specific package already exists.

Boundaries: What Is Not Claimed Here

They do not constitute a design code, an O&M procedure or an acceptance basis.

Second, the related quantitative indicators (electrical-hazard identification rate 95%+, alarm compression ratio 80%, warning lead 4-12 weeks, MTTR reduced 60%, energy-saving potential 8-20%) are supplier-stated vendor capability claims only and should not be treated as generation-revenue, retrofit-benefit or procurement grounds.

Third, this article gives no specific placement density for PV arrays and storage units, no air-termination or equipotential-bonding practice, and no retrofit procedure, construction sequence, work quantity, sampling and reporting frequency, offline caching and backfill strategy, alarm-ticket grading rule or evidence format; it asserts none of these.

Fourth, this article cites only standard designations such as GB 50057 and does not infer clause content; other scenarios or topics are outside its scope.

Conclusion

To implement integrated intelligent lightning protection at PV, storage and new-energy stations, the key is not more devices but wiring scattered protected objects into one data chain: first divide by exposure and grounding into zones, then sense uniformly with the same readable quantities (SPD status and lifetime, lightning-current events, grounding status), aggregate through the intelligent lightning-protection gateway and the four-layer architecture and protocol matrix into FEXCloud, and finally hold the baseline with safety red lines and six-level alarms, move warning earlier with the Tianyan engine's S-02, and obtain a deployment mapping through generic combinations. All terms and model designations follow a unified convention.