Solar panels switched off at 80 schools after fire

Solar panels are being switched off at about 80 schools in Suffolk as a "precautionary measure" following a fire.

Suffolk County Council announced the move after a fire at Sidegate Primary School, in Ipswich, on Wednesday.

Panels were installed there in 2012 and the council said three fires at schools in the county over the last year were believed to be linked to the renewable energy devices.

The council said: "In response to this incident and following two other fires in school buildings where solar panels have been identified as a potential factor, the council has taken the decision to temporarily switch off all solar panel systems installed in identified schools between 2011 and 2016."

Fires at Brooklands Primary in Brantham in March and at East Bergholt Primary in August 2025 were both linked to solar panels.

The council said: "Currently there is no firm evidence that the three school fires were caused by the same issue and there is no conclusive evidence linking the fires.

"However, the involvement of solar panels in each case has prompted this precautionary action."

The council told the BBC the fires were all believed to have had different causes, suggesting there was not a common fault with the panels, but the three fires originated around the units.

Engineers will visit the schools that are part of the council's solar programme in the next fortnight to isolate the panel systems.

Sarah-Jane Smedmor, executive director of children and young people at the council, said it was "about ensuring that our children and young people and staff remain safe".

"We cannot take the risk that those incidents were unrelated or coincidental – we must act with precaution to eliminate any potential fire risks," she said.

Ash Lever, Green group spokesperson for education, said: "All electrical systems are under stress in this hot weather and they should be regularly checked to make sure they are safe."

Tony Slade, an energy expert, said it was unlikely the panels themselves had caught fire as they were mostly made of glass.

He said solar panel fires would more likely be caused by incorrectly sized or damaged wiring or the device that makes the power generated by the panels usable.

Slade said batteries could catch fire, but it would usually be down to a fault.

He said high air temperatures could have an impact on solar panel systems, but most "should have an ambient air temperature rating normally greatly in excess of expected".

"Until the cause of the fires is established, the council's move is sensible," he said.

However, this is not a renewable energy problem, but potentially one of electrical system specification, installation and maintenance."

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