Should guidance on solar PV be included in the National Policy Statement?

The solar industry very much welcomes the addition of guidance on solar PV to the National Policy Statement for renewable energy infrastructure. However, there are several provisions which could be strengthened, which we have outlined below.

How many IEC standards are there for photovoltaic technology?

There are currently 169 published IEC standards by TC-82 related to photovoltaic technology, and work is in progress for 69 more (new ones or revisions). This set of standards is the most broadly used by the scientific community and technicians in research centres and companies.

Should a target for solar generation be included in the NPS?

This equates to roughly 40GW of solar by 2030, and the solar industry body, Solar Energy UK, has demonstrated in its 2021 report “Lighting the Way” that this target is possible. We recommend that a target for solar generation should be included in the NPS.

What are the regulatory levels for photovoltaic systems?

At least three regulatory levels for the production, installation, operation and end of life of photovoltaic systems can be considered. Additionally, the Life Cycle Assessment methodology is also regulated by standards. In this chapter, the three levels are presented.

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.

What is considered a stand-alone solar PV installation?

llations with a TIC of 250kW or less3.87 A solar PV installation with a TIC of 250kW or less will be classified as stand-alone if it is not wired o provide electricity to a building. If it is wired to provide electricity to a building,