Passing the test:
The increasing demand for solar PV is good news for electrical
contractors that have made the move into this growing market. However, as Rob Shepherd explains, safe and successful
installation is dependent on fully understanding and meeting the testing requirements of these systems
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Practices for testing solar PV installations may be similar to most electrical installations – but there are some significant differences
solar PV
Certified case Those wishing to take advantage of FITs must use Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) approved contracting companies. The MCS is an independent scheme that certifies microgeneration products and installers in accordance with consistent standards. It is therefore a pre- requisite for any company seeking to enter this area. The MCS should help avoid instances of improperly
ith most areas of the electrical contracting sector struggling to find any growth in these tough economic times, it is no surprise that forward thinking contractors have turned
to the burgeoning microgeneration sector to find a much needed revenue stream. Chief among the technologies that fit into this category is solar photovoltaic (PV).
Drive time According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), between 2008-2010 there was a 400 per cent increase in microgeneration installations in the UK. Driven by a range of incentives such as the government
backed Feed-in-Tariff scheme (FITs), home and commercial property owners are recognising that not only does solar PV make sense for the environment, it also has significant financial benefits. In fact, recent research by the Our Solar Britain initiative claims that the average homeowner in the UK could save more than £1,200 per year through its installation.
ECA Today November 2011
installed solar PV systems that have blighted other countries. In Australia, the New South Wales government recently issued details of a survey of solar PV installations in western Sydney that found that 18.5 per cent of the installations had major defects. In a similar survey carried out last year in France, safety inspectors from the electrical safety certification agency, Conseul, found that 51 per cent of all PV installations in the country posed a potential safety risk and did not conform to regulations.
Up above While many of the practices associated with testing a conventional electrical installation will be employed on a solar PV installation, there are also some significant differences. Perhaps the most overlooked factor is that the installation
and testing procedures will be carried out at height. The dangers of receiving an electric shock while in this location is an obvious hazard that must be avoided at all costs. Therefore, the Work at Height Regulations 2005, which states that the risks from working at height must be assessed and appropriate work equipment selected and used, must be adhered to.
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