Earthing (Grounding) Method Statement —

Solar PV Project
Document ID: EMS-PV-001
Revision: 00
Date: [INSERT DATE]
Prepared by: [Name / Discipline]
Approved by: [Name / Discipline]

1. Purpose and Scope

This Method Statement describes the materials, procedures, quality control,
testing and commissioning, safety and maintenance requirements for the
design, installation and testing of earthing (grounding) systems for the Solar
PV Project. It applies to all earthing works for:
 PV array frames and module mounting structures
 Inverter stations and AC combiner/DBs
 Transformer neutral and LV/HV equipment (if applicable)
 Lightning protection system (where provided)
 DC and AC equipment enclosures, trackers and fences as required
Note: Project-specific parameters (soil resistivity, fault current, earthing
targets) shall be submitted in the Earthing Design Calculation annex and
approved prior to installation.

2. References & Standards

 IEC 60364 series — Electrical installations of buildings (as applicable)
 IEC 62561 / BS EN 62561 — Lightning protection components
 IEC 62305 — Protection against lightning (if lightning protection
provided)
 IEEE Std 142 (Green Book) — Grounding of industrial and commercial
power systems
 IEEE Std 80 — Guide for safety in AC substation grounding
 Local regulations and utility requirements
 Project Specifications and Drawings
3. Responsibilities
 Project Manager: Overall responsibility for execution, resourcing and
approvals.
 Site Engineer (Earthing Lead): Supervise works, ensure design
compliance, coordinate tests and handover.
 Safety Officer: Monitor safe work practices, issue permits (hot works,
excavation) and toolbox talks.
 QA/QC Engineer: Witness tests, verify materials & records, sign-off.
 Installation Team: Carry out excavation, installation, jointing and
backfilling as per this document.

4. Materials & Equipment

4.1 Materials (Typical)
Item Typical Specification / Remarks
Earth Electrodes (Rods) Copper bonded steel rods, 16 mm
dia x 3 m (or 20 mm x 3 m). Length
as per soil resistivity study.
Earth Tape/Strip Electrolytic copper tape 25 mm x 3
mm (min) or 30 mm x 5 mm for
main earth conductor (MEC). Tin
plated optional in corrosive soil.
Earthing Conductor Flexible copper conductor, minimum
25 mm² Cu for equipment bonding
(confirm per local regs); MEC may
be 35–50 mm² Cu, or equivalent in
steel/copper-bonded.
Earthing Busbar Copper busbar in earth pits / MAR’s,
size per design (e.g., 300 x 10 mm
copper busbar or per drawing).
Earth Backfill Bentonite clay granules or
commercial low-resistance backfill
compound (e.g., Bentonite or
engineered mix) as specified.
Exothermic Welds Cadweld (or equivalent) for
permanent low-resistance joints.
Mechanical Lugs Brass/copper compression lugs,
rated for conductor sizes.
Protective Covers Concrete-earth pit covers with
lockable lids and identification.
Test Instruments Earth resistance tester (fall-of-
Item Typical Specification / Remarks
potential 3-pin), earth clamp meter,
soil resistivity kit, multimeter,
insulation resistance tester.
Note: All materials shall be certified, with manufacturer data sheets,
mill test certificates where required and approval by engineer before
use.

5. Design Considerations & Calculations

1. Target Earth Resistance: Project target earth resistance values shall
be defined in the design package. Typical targets (example):

o PV Array frames: ≤ 5 Ω (site dependent)

o Inverter/transformer main earth: ≤ 1–2 Ω (depending on fault
levels and local requirements)
o Lightning protection earthing: as per IEC 62305 and project spec.
Important: These are examples — final targets must be approved.

2. Soil Resistivity: Carry out a minimum of two Wenner method soil

resistivity tests (different boreholes) to depth recommended by
geotechnical report. Use resistivity results to size the grid and select
backfill.

3. Earth Grid Sizing: Use standard calculation methods (e.g., IEEE 80 or

local standard) to size grid conductors, electrode spacing and number.
Provide calculation sheets showing:

o Electrode arrangement (rows/cols)

o Rod length and spacing
o Mesh size for substation or inverter yard (if required)
o Expected overall resistance with and without backfill
4. Fault Current Consideration: Determine prospective earth fault
current and duration (from inverter/transformer/system studies) to
verify conductor/cross-section and thermal withstand.

5. Separation of DC and AC Conductors: DC negative return should

be bonded to the earthing system per PV manufacturer instructions —
follow project single-point/multi-point earthing practice to avoid
circulating currents.

6. Equipotential Bonding: Ensure all exposed conductive parts,

metallic structures, module frames, trackers, combiner boxes, cable
trays, fences and building structural steel are bonded to the earthing
system.
6. Excavation and Site Preparation
 Obtain excavation permit from site HSE.
 Mark out locations for earth rods, trenches and earth pits as per
drawings.
 Locate and avoid existing underground services — perform cable
avoidance survey and use CAT & Genny if needed.
 Excavate trenches to required depth (typical 0.6–1.0 m for main earth
tape; deeper in frost areas) and ensure safe sloping/shoring.

7. Installation Procedure
7.1 Earth Electrodes (Rods)
1. Drive copper-bonded rods vertically to specified depth (typical 3 m) in
pre-drilled pilot holes where roadside hard strata prevents driving.
2. If rock prevents direct driving, use a horizontal rod in trench at depth
or increase number/length of rods per design.
3. Ensure the top of the rod is at least 300 mm below finished ground
level and is connected to a protected earth pit with busbar and cover.
7.2 Interconnection & Earth Tape
1. Lay copper tape/strip continuously along trenches, maintaining
minimum bending radii and avoiding sharp bends.
2. Tape shall be laid with continuity; joints only where necessary and
mechanically bolted with exothermic weld (Cadweld) or approved
compression connectors.
3. Turn up the tape at each equipment location into an earth pit, connect
to earth busbar using lugs.
4. Provide sacrificial anode or corrosion protection where soil corrosivity
is high.
7.3 Equipotential Bonding
1. Bond module frames: use dedicated bonding conductors from module
clamps to nearby array earth conductor; keep bonding lengths
minimized.
2. Bond inverter/transformer earthing terminal to main earth strip using
appropriate conductor and lugs.
3. Bond fences and metallic structures to nearest earth grid point.
7.4 Exothermic Welding / Joints
 Use exothermic welding for permanent joints where practical. Follow
Cadweld instructions, ensure moulds & consumables are dry and
trained personnel perform welds.
 Where mechanical connectors are used, ensure galvanic/metal
compatibility and torque values per manufacturer.
7.5 Backfilling
1. Backfill around rods with specified backfill (e.g., Bentonite) to improve
contact and reduce resistance.
2. Backfill trenches with selected material, compact as required and
restore surface.
3. Mark the location of earth pits and provide identification plates.

8. Earthing Pits and Accessibility

 Provide earth pits at intervals and at equipment locations with lockable
covers and clear marking.
 Busbars and test links shall be accessible for testing and inspection.
 Provide as-built labels and drawings locating all earthing components.

9. Testing & Commissioning

9.1 Pre-Test Checks
 Verify continuity of all bonding conductors visually and with low-
resistance ohm-meter.
 Check mechanical tightness of connections.
 Confirm earth pits are accessible and identified.
9.2 Tests to be Performed
1. Soil Resistivity Test (Wenner method): Perform at representative
locations and depths. Record values and include in report.
2. Earth Resistance Test (Fall-of-Potential 3-pin): Measure overall
earth system resistance to remote earth and at sub-systems (arrays,
inverter yard, transformer neutral). Record readings with test point
locations and test method.
3. Clamp-on Earth Resistance Measurement: For large grids where 3-
point test is impractical. Note that clamp-on measures loop resistance
and interpretation differs.
4. Continuity Test: Confirm continuity between all exposed conductive
parts and main earthing conductor (expect near-zero ohms). Use
milliohm meter where possible.
 5. Bonding Resistance: Spot checks across bonding points.
6. Visual Inspection and Photographic Records: For joints, welds,
backfill and installation.
9.3 Acceptance Criteria
 Acceptance criteria to be defined by the Project Engineer. Typical
examples:
o Main earthing system ≤ 1–2 Ω (project dependent)
o Subsystem earthing ≤ 5 Ω
o Continuity: ≤ 0.1 Ω at critical connections (where measurable)
If results exceed targets, perform corrective actions: additional rods, deeper
rods, parallel rods, chemical backfill, or redesign of grid.

10. Quality Control & Documentation

 Maintain materials records: MTCs, SDS for backfill compound,
manufacturer datasheets.
 Maintain test records signed by installer, QA/QC and witnessed by the
engineer.
 Produce final earthing report containing: soil resistivity data,
calculations, as-built drawings, test certificates, photos and corrective
action logs.
 All electrical joints and exothermic welds to be recorded and
photographed.

11. Health, Safety & Environmental

 All works to follow site HSE plan and local regulations.
 Use PPE: safety helmet, gloves, eye protection, safety boots, high
visibility vest.
 Ensure trenches are supported, use barriers and signage.
 Lock out and tag out electrical equipment where bonding is made
under energized conditions — avoid live work when possible.
 Provide first aid and emergency contact details on site.
 Manage disposal of excess backfill and packaging according to local
regulations.

12. Handover & Maintenance

 Provide earthing as-built drawings and test certificates during
handover.
  Recommend periodic earthing maintenance and retesting schedule
(example):
o Visual inspection: every 6 months
o Earth resistance check: annually or after major works
o After lightning strike or major fault: immediate re-test
 Maintain spare exothermic weld kits, clamps and a small stock of lugs
on site.

13. Inspection / Checklist (To be completed during

installation)
☐ Materials received and inspected (MTCs attached)
☐ Soil resistivity tests performed and recorded
☐ Rods driven to correct depth and location
☐ Continuous earth tape laid with correct cover depth
☐ Exothermic welds / mechanical joints completed and recorded
☐ Earth pits installed with busbars and labels
☐ Continuity and resistance tests performed and within limits
☐ Test reports compiled and approved

14. Annexes (To be completed per project)

 Annex A: Soil Resistivity Report and Test Results
 Annex B: Earthing Design Calculations (grid sizing, rod/spacing
calculation)
 Annex C: As-built Drawings and Locations
 Annex D: Test Reports and Certificates
 Annex E: Manufacturer Data Sheets and MTCs

End of Method Statement

Prepared for: [Project Name]
Contact: [Site Engineer Contact Details]