DC Protection for NEOM Green Hydrogen Solar: NEUTRON Scope

1. Solar feeding a process load

When PV feeds electrolysis, the protection and switching equipment must suit both a variable renewable input and a continuous industrial process. Availability matters because downtime on the solar side can starve the process line.

2. NEUTRON DC protection scope

• PV combiner boxes rated to 1500 V DC collecting many strings with individual gPV fuse protection.
• DC disconnect switches and DC SPDs staged to the 1500 V envelope.
• DC MCBs for auxiliary and monitoring circuits.
• Low-voltage switchgear for the AC collection and interface side.

3. Switchgear and RMU coordination

At the collection point the AC feeders terminate in NEUTRON low-voltage switchgear. A ring main unit provides the controlled interface to the step-up transformer, with selective coordination so a downstream fault isolates locally without dropping the whole array.

4. Availability and selectivity

• Selective protection verified against projected fault levels before release.
• Spare gPV fuses and labelled boards to restore a faulted string quickly.
• Monitoring so operators see degradation before it becomes downtime.

5. Environmental specification

The NEOM region mixes desert heat with coastal sections, so enclosures were specified for dust and, where relevant, salt mist, with current parts derated for sustained high ambient.

6. Outcome

The protection layer gave the solar feed a serviceable, availability-focused foundation for the hydrogen process. The lesson is that industrial solar needs the same protection discipline as a grid plant, plus tighter selectivity for process continuity.