Electrical Building World Columbian_Exposition | Chicago (1892)
A consensus document developed by Underwriters Laboratories, lies at the foundation of most solar energy systems in the United States: UL 62109 Standard for Safety for Power Converters for Use in Photovoltaic Power Systems. The scope of UL 62109 is as follows
This part of IEC 62109 applies to the power conversion equipment (PCE) for use in Photovoltaic (PV) systems where a uniform technical level with respect to safety is necessary. This standard defines the minimum requirements for the design and manufacture of PCE for protection against electric shock, energy, fire, mechanical and other hazards. This standard provides general requirements applicable to all types of PV PCE. There are additional parts of this standard that provide specific requirements for the different types of power converters, such as Part 2 – inverters. Additional parts may be published as new products and technologies are commercializd.
Note that UL coordinates its revisions to this document with related work by IEC Technical Committee 82 Solar photovoltaic energy systems and its IEC 62109 suite of international electrical safety standards.
This document forms part of the foundation of electrical safety consensus documents produced by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the National Electrical Equipment and Medical Imaging Manufacturers and the National Fire Protection Association, to name a few. In distributed energy projects on educational campuses, for example; you will find it called out in design guidelines and construction contract specifications in the general purpose clause” “Conform to all applicable standards”; thereby setting up discussion about whether or not this, and similar standards, apply when something untoward happens.
Comment on the proposed UL re-affirmation that will establish the 2019 revision is due April 7th.
Public consultation on the 2024 revision should occur sometime during 2023. Since the last revision more questions about the “recycle-ability” of solar panels have risen in the national conversation about sustainability.
We typically refer this to the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facility Committee which meets four times per month in European and American time zones. Additionally, since Underwriters Laboratory is one of about twenty “continuous maintenance” standards developers, whose catalog changes daily, we are happy to discuss this any day during our standing 11 AM Eastern time teleconferences. Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
Issue: [19-AAA]
Category: Electrical, Energy, District Energy, #SmartCampus
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Kane Howard
