Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Installation - Updates Malcolm Brown CCEI Electrical Safety Authority Technical Advisor - Western Region Electrical Safety Authority 2013 1 For Your Safety
Topics of discussion ESA; Mandate - Mission Vision Feed-in Tariff Program in Ontario Technical and OESC Requirements Updates: Wiring methods; PV modules as part of the building construction; PV DC Arc Fault Protection Requirement; and PV wiring color coding Incident - Incorrect Wiring Results in Failure ESA Resources Electrical Safety Authority 2013 2 For Your Safety
Electrical Safety Authority Mandate - Mission - Vision Electrical Safety Authority 2013 3 For Your Safety
Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) Who is ESA? ESA is a financially self-sustaining, not-for-profit corporation. ESA is a delegated authority, responsible for administering specific regulations related to: Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC); licensing Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians; electricity distribution system safety; and electrical products safety. Electrical Safety Authority 2013 4 For Your Safety
Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) Mandate - Mission - Vision Mandate Enforcing the Ontario Electrical Safety Code, and appointing Inspectors. Mission Improve electrical safety for the well-being of the people of Ontario. Vision An Ontario free from electrical fatalities and serious injuries, damage or loss (Getting to ZERO). Electrical Safety Authority 2013 5 For Your Safety
Feed-In Tariff Program in Ontario Electrical Safety Authority 2013 6 For Your Safety
What is a Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) Program? A program set by the Government of Ontario to contract for renewable energy generation. Ontario Power Authority (OPA) is responsible for administering the FIT program. On September 24, 2009, the government of Ontario officially launched Canada s first Feed-In Tariff. MicroFIT is for projects equal to or less than 10 kw. FIT is for greater than 10 kw. Developers of renewable energy projects can apply for a FIT contract if they meet all program requirements. For more information, check OPA website at http://fit.powerauthority.on.ca/fit-program/introduction Electrical Safety Authority 2013 7 For Your Safety
microfit and FIT Program Electrical Safety Authority 2013 8 For Your Safety
FIT Project Stages Typical FIT project stages are: Customer submits proper applications/forms: To OPA using online form; A connection request to the Local Distribution Company (LDC); Application for inspection (to ESA) Customer installs the project and arranges for ESA Inspection Connection authorization issued by ESA to the LDC LDC connects the generation to supply service LDC informs OPA of connection details OPA prepares and offers microfit contract Electrical Safety Authority 2013 9 For Your Safety
ESA Role In addition to the standard wiring inspection process to verify that the electrical installation meets the requirements of OESC, ESA will be reporting the following to the LDC/OPA: The type of the renewable energy of the project. The generator total kw capacity and the inverter maximum output kw capacity. Verification if batteries are installed upstream of the generator meter. Electrical Safety Authority 2013 10 For Your Safety
ESA Connection Authorization Sample Electrical Safety Authority 2013 11 For Your Safety
Technical and OESC Requirements Updates Electrical Safety Authority 2013 12 For Your Safety
Wiring methods Newly developed Solar cables type RPV & RPVU New Subrules to recognize wiring PV systems with newly Canadian approved PV cables type RPV and RPVU (CSA 22.2 No. 271). Photovoltaic Cables specifies the requirements for photovoltaic single-conductor and multiconductor thermoset-insulated wires and cables rated 600 V, 1000 V and 2000 V. Electrical Safety Authority 2013 13 For Your Safety
Wiring methods Newly developed Solar cables type RPV & RPVU New cables type RPV and RPVU are also recognized in Tables 6, 10B and 19 Electrical Safety Authority 2013 14 For Your Safety
Wiring methods Newly developed Solar cables type RPV & RPVU Electrical Safety Authority 2013 15 For Your Safety
Wiring methods Newly developed Solar cables type RPV & RPVU Reminder: The permission for using PV cables approved to UL standards had expired on January 1 st, 2013. Where an application for inspection or plan review are submitted after January 1 st, 2013, all wiring used for photovoltaic system installations is required to be approved to Canadian Standards. Electrical Safety Authority 2013 16 For Your Safety
PV Modules as part of building construction Rule 12-200 * In roof PV panels Question: Does the OESC allow open single PV conductors to be run exposed within a building structure without meeting the Rules referenced in 12-200 for open wiring? Answer: No Electrical Safety Authority 2013 17 For Your Safety
PV DC Arc Fault Protection Requirement Rule 50-014 New Rule 50-014 had been introduced in Canadian Electrical Code 2012 to require arc fault protection for DC circuits on or penetrating buildings and operating at 80V dc or higher; ESA will extend the postponement of Rule 50-014 enforcement from May 2013 until January 1 st, 2014 Electrical Safety Authority 2013 18 For Your Safety
Color Coding of PV (dc) Source & Output Circuit Conductors Recently, a new rule has been approved by the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I Committee to address this issue. The new rule will mandate the dc photovoltaic output circuit conductors, and photovoltaic source circuit conductors installed between a module and the power conditioning unit of the dc system to be colored, coded, or both. This new rule requirement will be mandatory when the 26 th Edition of the OESC is introduced (anticipated in 2015) Electrical Safety Authority 2013 19 For Your Safety
Color Coding of PV (dc) Source & Output Circuit Conductors Color coding of PV (dc) source and output circuit conductors DC photovoltaic output circuit conductors and photovoltaic source circuit conductors installed between a module and the power conditioningunit of the dc system are to be coloured and/or coded as follows: (a) for a 2-wire circuit (i) red for positive and black for negative; or (ii) black conductors manufactured with permanent surface printing indicating the polarity on the conductor; and (b) for a 3-wire circuit (bipolar circuit) (i) white** for mid-wire (identified as centre tap), red for positive, and black for negative; or (ii) black conductors manufactured with permanent surface printing indicating the polarity on the conductor(*). Electrical Safety Authority 2013 20 For Your Safety
Color Coding of PV (dc) Source & Output Circuit Conductors Color coding of PV (dc) source and output circuit conductors These requirements will not be permitted to be met by field marking or labelling, unless for multi-conductor cables through suitable field labelling or marking in a permanent manner as follows: (i) be made at every point where the separate conductors are rendered accessible and visible by removal of the outer coveringof the cable; (ii) be made by painting or other suitable means; and (ii) not render the manufacturer s numbering of the conductors illegible. Electrical Safety Authority 2013 21 For Your Safety
Incident -Incorrect Wiring Results in Failure Electrical Safety Authority 2013 22 For Your Safety
Incident - Incorrect Wiring Results in Failure PV System Grid Tie reversed wiring PV utility disconnect from line side of existing main service. Neutral and phase conductor crossed. Electrical Safety Authority 2013 23 For Your Safety
ESA Resources Electrical Safety Authority 2013 24 For Your Safety
ESA Resources Visit www.esasafe.comfor more information about installation of solar photovoltaic installations ESA offers a ½day training workshop http://www.esasafe.com/ Contractors/stt_002.php Electrical Safety Authority 2013 25 For Your Safety
ESA Resources Visit www.esasafe.com for more information about The 2012 OESC. Electrical Safety Authority 2013 26 For Your Safety
ESA Resources SPEC-004, Electrical guideline for inverterbased-micro generating facility 10 kw and smaller Used for one of the following applications: microfit program Load displacement Electrical Safety Authority 2013 27 For Your Safety
ESA Resources SPEC 005 -Process Guideline for the Installation of Parallel Generating Systems (10 kw or Greater) Electrical Safety Authority 2013 28 For Your Safety
ESA Resources ESA Bulletins: 50-1-* Installation of Solar Photovoltaic Systems 50-2-* Grounding and Bonding of Solar Photovoltaic Systems 50-3-* Voltage rating of a photovoltaic source circuit 50-4-* Wiring methods for Solar Photovoltaic Systems 64-1-* Connection of utility-interactive inverters on the load side of service disconnecting means; and 84-1-* Interconnection of Electric Power Production Sources Electrical Safety Authority 2013 29 For Your Safety
Product Approval Requirements Rule 2-024 Approval of electrical equipment Recognized Certification Markings Return Electrical Safety Authority 2013 30 For Your Safety
Product Approval Requirements Rule 2-024 Approval of electrical equipment Recognized Field Evaluation Agency Markings Recognized Panel-Only Field Evaluation Agency Markings Return Electrical Safety Authority 2013 31 For Your Safety
Thank you! Electrical Safety Authority 2013 32 For Your Safety