Why are international standards important in the photovoltaic industry?

ABSTRACT: International standards play an important role in the Photovoltaic industry. Since PV is such a global industry it is critical that PV products be measured and qualified the same way everywhere in the world. IEC TC82 has developed and published a number of module and component measurement and qualification standards.

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.

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.

How do you choose a photovoltaic system?

The decision of which photovoltaic product to select and how each system is designed, operated, and maintained depends, in large part, on the electrical performance information provided to the decision makers (e.g., the PV array owner, facilities manager, financer).

How are PV current and voltage measurements made?

Fig. 2 is an electrical block diagram that illustrates how PV current–voltage measurements are made. A four-wire (or Kelvin) connection to the device under test allows the voltage across the device to be measured by avoiding voltage drops along the wiring in the current measurement loop.

How are photovoltaic modules regulated?

The production of photovoltaic modules in the United States is regulated by the federal Clean Air (1970) and Clean Water (1972) Acts that are applied to any industrial production.