With a 23% year-
on-year increase in installations, Solar PV is quickly becoming the preferred renewable energy solution for homeowners
power control method will exceed the levels for harmonic emissions and will not comply with the EN 61000-3-2 standard. As such, these devices cannot be CE marked and freely sold throughout the UK and Europe. As a result, 80% of the microgen power
diverters currently available to purchase in the UK are not legally compliant – an incredibly worrying statistic.
Compliance testing – no hiding place
“Regulations require all electrical and electronic equipment apparatus in the UK, including imports, satisfy the requirements of the EMC Directive.” (The EMC Regulations 2006, source:
www.gov.uk)
Although the importance of appliance
safety should be prioritised in all new product development and production, compliance policing is not always effectively implemented across the UK. As the burden of CE testing falls on manufacturers themselves, many choose to self-test their products in-house rather than via an authorised body. Third party testing is more expensive but ensures the manufacturer can back up their claims relating to product compliance.
“Equipment shall be designed and
manufactured, having regard to the state of the art, so as to ensure that the electromagnetic disturbance it generates
www.r-e-a.net
does not exceed a level above which radio and telecommunications equipment or other equipment cannot operate as intended.” Electrical and electronic apparatus has to be designed so as to pass the relevant EMC and safety standards. This cannot just be an afterthought. Third party testing by a notified body is not compulsory. Irrespective of the chosen route (in-house or authorised), the manufacturer has full control of how their product is tested in order to attain the required standard. This can lead to the manipulation of testing parameters, so as to corrupt the validity of the result. For example, the product may not have been tested in a state representative of its normal use, or that most likely to cause maximum disturbance. Trading Standards is the Market
Surveillance Authority in the UK for EMC. One must ask themselves, is there likely to be the specific knowledge of EMC, together with sufficient manpower to effectively police compliance?
Levelling the playing field Consumers need to be safe in the understanding that each and every product that they purchase is safe for use and free from dangerous side effects – something that the renewables industry is currently not achieving. There is undoubtedly a great deal of government support for renewable
technology, but there does not seem to be the same interest in the effective monitoring of compliance. Maybe then, the responsibility lies with the wider industry itself? Certainly the MCS operators have a vested interest in the compliance of these devices, as all inverters have to pass the very same harmonic emissions tests that these products are failing. Unless we can effectively address this situation, then non-compliant products will continue to be installed into homes and businesses across the UK and Europe. The immerSUN®
was tested for
EMC compliance on the 28th August 2014 and successfully passed all of the requirements of the applicable directive.
REQ
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION The full EMC test results, together with more information on compliance can be found on our website:
www.immersun.co.uk Please contact Ed Willmott or
Rebecca Woods at Prova Public Relations on 01926 776 900 or email
edwardw@provapr.co.uk or
rebeccaw@provapr.co.uk
WINTER 2014
|
RENEWABLE ENERGY QUARTERLY
| REQ 17
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