Photovoltaic circuit board selection requirements and standards

Are all PV products covered by IEC61730 'photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification?

In future it is expected that all PV products will increasingly be covered by International standard IEC61730: 2004 ‘Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification’.

What standards are available for the energy rating of PV modules?

Standards available for the energy rating of PV modules in different climatic conditions, but degradation rate and operational lifetime need additional scientific and standardisation work (no specific standard at present). Standard available to define an overall efficiency according to a weighted combination of efficiencies.

What are the requirements for regulating PV system design and battery function?

First, to regulate system design and battery function: IEC 62124 for stand-alone PV system design recommendations and PV performance evaluation (including battery testing and recovery after periods of low state-of-charge) in a variety of climatic conditions, and IEC 62509 for battery charge controllers.

Are there any UK standards relating to a PV installation?

While many UK standards apply in general terms, at the time of writing there is still relatively little which specifically relates to a PV installation. However, there are two documents which specifically relate to the installation of these systems that are of particular relevance:

What are the installation requirements for a PV array?

Installation requirements are also critically dependent on compliance with the IEC 60364 series (see Clause 4). PV arrays of less than 100 W and less than 35 V DC open circuit voltage at STC are not covered by this document. PV arrays in grid connected systems connected to medium or high voltage systems are not covered in this document.

What are the requirements for a PV installation?

Virtually all domestic PV installations will fall under the scope of Part P. Part P requires the relevant Building Control department to be notified and approve the work. There are two routes to comply with the requirements of Part P: Notify the relevant Building Control department before starting the work.