Certification Training Course

SESSION - 2: Design of a Solar PV Plant

CONFIDENTIAL
LIMITED USE

1. The PV Systems Family

2. Sizing the PV Array
3. Effects of the Partial Shading
4. Safety of PV Inverters
5. Efficiency Measurement of PV Inverters
6. EMC Main Issues
7. Standards on PV Connectors and PV Cables
8. Design Requirements and Safety of PV Systems
9. Lightning Main Issues
10. Further Standards
11. Electric Safety and PV Systems
12. PV Array Configuration
13. PV Arrays with a Pole Earthed
14. PV Earth Fault Detection and Alarm Requirements
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

Safety of PV
inverters

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

2

Safety of PV inverters
Standards IEC 62109-1 and 62109-2 (UL 1741 is also used)

minimum requirements for the design and manufacture of inverters (PCE) for
protection against electric shock, energy, fire, mechanical and other hazards

IEC
621091

Safety of power
converters for
use in
photovoltaic
power systems Part 1: General
requirements
IEC standard
April 2010

IEC
621092

Safety of power
converters for use in
photovoltaic power
systems - Part 2:
Particular
requirements for
inverters

IEC standard June

2011

UL
1741

Standard for
Inverters,
Converters,
Controllers and
Interconnection
System Equipment
for Use With
Distributed Energy
Resources
UL standard
January 2010

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

3

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

Applicable to the power conversion equipment (PCE) for

use in Photovoltaic (PV) systems
design and methods of construction used provide
adequate protection for the operator and the surrounding
area against:

Electric shock and energy hazards

Mechanical hazards
excessive temperature hazards
spread of fire from the equipment
chemical hazards
sonic pressure hazards
liberated fluids, gases and explosion hazards
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
4

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

General testing requirements

General conditions for testing

Thermal testing
Testing in a single fault condition
Backfeed voltage protection
Electrical rating tests
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
5

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

Marking and documentation

Marking
Warning markings
Documentation
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
6

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

Environmental requirements and conditions

Environmental categories and minimum environmental
conditions (Outdoor, indoor unconditioned, indoor
conditioned)
Pollution degree
Ingress protection
UV exposure
Temperature and humidity
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
7

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

8

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

Protection against electric shock and

energy hazards
Protection against electric shock
Protection against energy hazards
Electrical tests related to shock hazards (impulse
voltage test, voltage test, partial discharge test, touch
current measurement)
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
9

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

10

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

11

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

Protection against mechanical hazards

Moving parts
Protection of service persons
Stability
Provisions for lifting and carrying
Wall mounting
Expelled parts
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
12

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

Protection against fire hazards

Resistance to fire
Reducing the risk of ignition and spread of flame
Conditions for a fire enclosure
Materials requirements for protection against fire hazard
Opening in fire enclosures
Short-circuit and overcurrent protection
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
13

Safety of PV inverters
EXAMPLE:
The inverter here below, during operation, shows high temperature spots that
may cause derating, failures or fire hazard

Highest temperature: 84.1 C

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

14

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

Physical requirements

Handles and manual controls

Securing of parts
Provisions for external connections
Internal wiring and connections
Openings in enclosures
Polymeric materials
Mechanical resistance to deflection, impact or drop
Thickness requirements for metal enclosures
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
15

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-1 Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic power systems - Part 1: General requirements

Further protection requirements

Protection against sonic pressure hazard

Protection against liquid hazards
Chemical hazards
Components
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
16

Safety of PV inverters
IEC 62109-2 Safety of power converters for use in photovoltaic power
systems - Part 2: Particular requirements for inverters

Covers particular safety requirements

relevant to inverters:
Minimum inverter isolation requirements
Array ground insulation resistance measurement
Array residual current detection
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
17

Certification Training Course

SESSION - 2: Design of a Solar PV Plant

CONFIDENTIAL
LIMITED USE

1. The PV Systems Family

2. Sizing the PV Array
3. Effects of the Partial Shading
4. Safety of PV Inverters
5. Efficiency Measurement of PV Inverters
6. EMC Main Issues
7. Standards on PV Connectors and PV Cables
8. Design Requirements and Safety of PV Systems
9. Lightning Main Issues
10. Further Standards
11. Electric Safety and PV Systems
12. PV Array Configuration
13. PV Arrays with a Pole Earthed
14. PV Earth Fault Detection and Alarm Requirements
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

Efficiency
Measurement of
PV Inverters

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

19

Efficiency measurement of PV inverters

Standards CENELEC 50530 (IEC 61683 is no longer recommended)

Based on the static MPPT efficiency and conversion efficiency the overall inverter
efficiency is calculated. The dynamic MPPT efficiency is indicated separately
In the future IEC 61683 will be used only for stand-alone inverters

EN
50530

Overall efficiency of
grid connected
photovoltaic
inverters
CENELEC standard
March 2013

IEC
61683

Photovoltaic
systems - Power
conditioners Procedure for
measuring efficiency
IEC standard
November 1999

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

20

Safety of PV inverters
EN 50530 Overall efficiency of grid connected photovoltaic inverters

The scope of the standard is to define a quantity

(overall efficiency t) which includes both conversion
efficiency and MPP-tracking properties
A grid-connected inverter consists of two main parts:
the MPP-tracker, which has to draw always the maximum
available power PMPP from the array
the DC-AC converter, which has to convert the available DC
power PDC to AC power as efficiently as possible

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

21

Safety of PV inverters
EN 50530 Overall efficiency of grid connected photovoltaic inverters

Maximum Power
Points for crystalline
silicon PV modules

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

22

Safety of PV inverters
EN 50530 Overall efficiency of grid connected photovoltaic inverters

Maximum Power
Points for Thin-film
PV modules

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

23

Safety of PV inverters
EN 50530 Overall efficiency of grid connected photovoltaic inverters

Conversion
efficiency
CONV

Overall
efficiency
t
MPPtracking
efficiency
MPP

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

24

Safety of PV inverters
EN 50530 Overall efficiency of grid connected photovoltaic inverters

Static MPPT efficiency

The static MPPT efficiency describes the accuracy of an
inverter to regulate on the maximum power point on a
given static characteristic curve of a PV generator

Dynamic MPPT efficiency

Variations of the irradiation intensity and the resulting
transition of the inverter to the new operation point are
not considered with the static MPPT efficiency. For the
evaluation of this transient characteristic the dynamic
MPPT efficiency is specified

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

25

Safety of PV inverters
EN 50530 Overall efficiency of grid connected photovoltaic inverters

Test set-up

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

26

Safety of PV inverters
EN 50530 Overall efficiency of grid connected photovoltaic inverters

Test conditions for dynamic MPPT efficiency

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

27

Safety of PV inverters
EN 50530 Overall efficiency of grid connected photovoltaic inverters

Typical inverter efficiency curve

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

28

Safety of PV inverters
EN 50530 Overall efficiency of grid connected photovoltaic inverters

European efficiency and CEC efficiency

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

29

Certification Training Course

SESSION - 2: Design of a Solar PV Plant

CONFIDENTIAL
LIMITED USE

1. The PV Systems Family

2. Sizing the PV Array
3. Effects of the Partial Shading
4. Safety of PV Inverters
5. Efficiency Measurement of PV Inverters
6. EMC Main Issues
7. Standards on PV Connectors and PV Cables
8. Design Requirements and Safety of PV Systems
9. Lightning Main Issues
10. Further Standards
11. Electric Safety and PV Systems
12. PV Array Configuration
13. PV Arrays with a Pole Earthed
14. PV Earth Fault Detection and Alarm Requirements
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

EMC Main
Issues

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

31

EMC main issues

Standards IEC 61000-3-2 and IEC 61000-3-12

Limitation of harmonic currents injected into the public supply system

These standards are applicable to electrical and electronic equipment

IEC
610003-2

Electromagnetic compatibility
(EMC) - Part 3-2: Limits Limits for harmonic current
emissions (equipment input
current 16 A per phase)

IEC standard April 2009

IEC
610003-12

Electromagnetic compatibility
(EMC) - Part 3-12: Limits Limits for harmonic currents
produced by equipment
connected to public lowvoltage systems with input
current >16 A and 75 A per
phase

IEC standard May 2011

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

32

EMC main issues

IEC 61000-3-2 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 3-2: Limits - Limits
for harmonic current emissions (equipment input current 16 A per phase)

This part of IEC 61000 deals with the

limitation of harmonic currents injected into
the public supply system
It is applicable to electric and electronic equipment
having an input current 16 A per phase
The tests according to this standard are type test
Equipment are classified from A to D PV inverters
may be considered Class A equipment

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

33

EMC main issues

IEC 61000-3-2 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 3-2: Limits - Limits
for harmonic current emissions (equipment input current 16 A per phase)

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

34

EMC main issues

IEC 61000-3-12 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 3-12: Limits - Limits for
harmonic currents produced by equipment connected to public low-voltage
systems with input current >16 A and 75 A per phase

This part of IEC 61000 deals with the limitation of

harmonic currents injected into the public supply system
It is applicable to electric and electronic equipment having an input
current >16 A and 75 A per phase
The tests according to this standard are type test
Criteria used by this standard are different and in general more
complex than those adopted by IEC 61000-3-2
Unofficially, this standard is also used for currents > 75 A per phase

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

35

Certification Training Course

SESSION - 2: Design of a Solar PV Plant

CONFIDENTIAL
LIMITED USE

1. The PV Systems Family

2. Sizing the PV Array
3. Effects of the Partial Shading
4. Safety of PV Inverters
5. Efficiency Measurement of PV Inverters
6. EMC Main Issues
7. Standards on PV Connectors and PV Cables
8. Design Requirements and Safety of PV Systems
9. Lightning Main Issues
10. Further Standards
11. Electric Safety and PV Systems
12. PV Array Configuration
13. PV Arrays with a Pole Earthed
14. PV Earth Fault Detection and Alarm Requirements
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

Standards on
PV Connectors
and PV Cables

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

37

Standards on PV connectors and PV cables

Standards EN 50521 and National Standards

Connectors for use in photovoltaic systems with rated voltages up to 1 500 V

DC and rated currents up to 125 A per contact
At the present PV cables are covered by National standards

EN
50521

National
standards
Connectors for
photovoltaic systems Safety requirements and
tests

CENELEC standard July

2012

2 Pfg 1169/08.2007 and

EK 411.2.3 (DE)
CEI 20-91 (IT)
UTE C 32-502 (FR)
EA 0038 (SP)
JCS 4517:2010 (JP)
UL 854 use 2 or 4703 (US)
C22.2 No. 271-10 (CA)

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

38

Standards on PV connectors and PV cables

EN 50521 Connectors for photovoltaic systems Safety requirements and tests

This standard applies to connectors of application Class A according

to EN 61730-1 for use in photovoltaic systems with rated voltage up
to 1000V DC and rated currents up to 125A per contact
Connectors must be suitable for the durable outdoor use in an ambient
temperature area from 40 C to +85 C
Connectors shall be so designed and dimensioned that they can withstand the
electrical, mechanical, thermal, corrosive and stress caused by the weather
conditions which occur in their intended use and present no danger to the user or
the environment
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
39

Standards on PV connectors and PV cables

EN 50521 Connectors for photovoltaic systems Safety requirements and tests

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

40

Standards on PV connectors and PV cables

Main National standards on cables

DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations

41

Standards on PV connectors and PV cables

Italian standard CEI 20-91 Fire retardant and halogen free electric cable with
elastomeric insulation and sheath for use in photovoltaic system (PV)
German standard 2 Pfg 1169/08.2007 Requirements for cables for use in
photovoltaic-systems
Main properties

CEI 20-91

2 Pfg 1169/08.2007

Conductor

Flexible, tinned copper, class 5

Tinned, class 5

Insulation

HEPR G21 halogen free

Halogen free material

Sheat

Crosslinked sheat M21

halogen free

Halogen free material

Nominal voltage U/U0

1200 / 1200 V

600 / 1000 V

Maximum voltage Um

1800 V

1800 V

Maximum operating temperature

+90 C ambient (+120 C

conductor)

+90 C ambient (+120 C

conductor)

Minimum installation and use

temperature

-40 C

-40 C

Maximum short-circuit
temperature

+250 C

+200 C

Cable designation

FG21M21

PV1-F
DRRG Training on Standards and Regulations
42