Global Conformity Assessment of Photovoltaic systems

Global Conformity Assessment of Photovoltaic systems

On-Time Market Access for PV Equipment and Inverters PV Lab San Jose, CA Inverter Lab Northbrook, Illinois PV & Inverter Lab Zeppelinheim, Germany PV Lab Bangalore, India PV Lab Suzhou, China PV Lab Ise, Japan UL is a world leader in the safety, performance and quality conformity of PV systems. Established as a safety certification organization in the USA in 1894, UL now operates internationally with a comprehensive range of conformity assessment service. By providing multiple certifications from one source, UL is positioned to help manufacturers quickly gain the compliance credentials they need to compete in the global marketplace. Global Network and Relations UL has a powerful global network of technical experts and state-of-the-art PV and inverter laboratories with OSHA & CBTL accreditation, as well as longstanding relations with regulatory authorities, partner laboratories and industry leaders. Accelerated Go-To-Market Time UL facilitates global market access through one investigation with bundled services to optimize project turnaround time, minimize administration and reduce project costs. High Performance Partnerships Thanks to powerful partnerships with entities such as Atlas Materials Testing Technology (USA), CENER (Spain), EXOVA (Canada), Jet (Japan), KIER (Korea), NCKU (Taiwan), SGEPRI (China), TERTEC (Taiwan), TIPS (China) and TTC (Taiwan), UL is able to provide comprehensive local testing and certification services to further accelerate global market access. Safety, Performance and Quality Conformity UL provides combined services for the entire PV system: PV Array and Balance of System : PV Modules, Inverters, Fuses, Connectors, Polymeric Materials, Roofing Materials, Concentrated PV, Mounting Systems, Solar Tracker, Solar Collectors, Building Integrated PV, Wiring, Junction Boxes, Fuse Holders, Combiner Boxes, Grounding Devices, Charge Controllers. Inverter Testing and Certification with dedicated laboratories in the USA and Europe. Single Test and sequence services program to support distributors and manufacturers in research and development prototype and design, reliability and verification testing.

Applicable Standards Photovoltaic (PV) modules and panels IEC 61215 (crystalline) IEC 61646 (thin film) IEC 61730 EN 61215 and EN 61730 EN 61646 and EN 61730 Concentrator PV (CPV) modules and assemblies design qualification and type approval IEC 62108 EN 62108 UL-SU 8703 Building integrated PV (BIPV) * 1 Fire test * 2 Facades or building glass UL 790* 1 UL 1897 ANSI 97, 1-1984* 2 PV cells BIPV Mounting Systems UL 790 UL 997 UL-SU 2703 Solar collectors UL-SU 1279 Junction boxes Inverters (incl. micro-inverters), converters, controllers and interconnection system equipment for use with distributed energy resources PV DC Arc-Fault Circuit Protection UL-SU 1699B Combiner boxes Photovoltaic wire * 3 Service Entrance Cables UL-SU 4703 UL 854* 3 Low-Voltage Fuses for PV Systems UL-SU 2579 Fuse holder UL-SU 4248-18 / ANSI-UL 4248-1 PV connector * 4 AC Connectors and both AC and DC UL-SU 6703 UL-SU 6703A* 4 Polymeric materials UL-SU 5703 UL 746A, 746B, 746C Enclosure & Dead-Front Switches for use in PV Systems UL-SU 98B Molded-Case Circuit Breakers, Molded-Case Breakers & UL-SU 89B Circuit Breakers Enclosures for use with PV Systems Procedures for temperature and irradiance corrections to measured I-V characteristics of crystalline silicon PV IEC 60891 (Devices Amendment 1: 06-1992) EN 60891 Characteristic parameters of stand-alone PV systems IEC 61194 EN 61194 UV test for PV modules IEC 61345 EN 61345 PV Modules Testing and Certification IEC / EN 61215 IEC / EN 61646 IEC 61730 / UL 790 (fire test) UL-SU 8703 (CPV) BIPV UL 790 UL 1897 Junction box IEC 61730 Connector UL-SU 6703 Fuse UL-SU 2579 Fuse Holder UL-SU 4248-18 / ANSI-UL 4248-1 Batteries UL 1989 UL 2054 UL-SU 2580 UL-SU 1973 PV Modules (with junction box) Rack Mounting & Clamping Devices UL-SU 2703 Solar Trackers UL-SU 3703 Fire Test / UL 790 (roof mounted modules) Polymeric Materials UL-SU 5703 UL 746A, 746B, 746C Batteries Combiner Box Charge Controller Inverter Note: Many of these components or functions can be built into one product like the inverter. AC Loads Grid tied or stand alone Cable for PV UL 4703 UL 854 (USE-2) Combiner Box Charge Controller Inverter + Micro-Inverter Output Wiring System NFPA70 NEC Rating of direct coupled PV pumping systems IEC 61702 EN 61702 Crystalline silicon PV array IEC 61829 EN 61829 on-site measurement of I-V characteristics Portable solar PV lanterns blank detail specification. IEC PVRS11 Approval under the IEC system for conformity testing and certification of electrical equipment (IECEE) Portable solar PV lanterns design qualification and type approval. Amendment 1, extension to include lanterns with nickel-metal hydride batteries IEC PVRS11A Solar Trackers UL-SU 3703 Rack Mounting & Clamping Devices UL-SU 2703 Mounting and wiring methods are evaluated with the PV modules for impact resistance UL-SU 2703 UL-SU 6703, 6703A Fire Safety PV module fire testing is an integral part of the US safety architecture and UL standards for safety, working closely with regulatory authorities, fire research organizations and industry and government groups. UL has over 100 years of world-wide experience in fire testing for the building, construction and energy sectors and is actively involved in fire safety research and knowledge transfer with industry stakeholders for building, structural, construction materials and PV module fire testing.

Combined Certification Solutions The IECEE CB Scheme is the world s first truly international system for mutual acceptance of test reports and certificates, dealing with the safety, performance and quality of electrical and electronic components, equipment and products. It is based on the use of International Stan dards (IEC) and the mutual recognition of test results. The UL EU Mark is the latest addition to the global family of UL marks, designed to assist manufacturers in gaining European market access. It is based on applicable EN standards and issued by UL exclusively. The UL EU mark also supports global manufacturers in reducing their go-to-market time through combined testing and certification efforts, based on working with one team and benefitting from associated cost savings. The UL Mark and the UL Recognized Component Mark are the most widely recognized and accepted evidence of a product s compliance with U.S. and Canadian safety requirements. For consumers, installers/integrators and code and regulatory authorities, the UL Mark is North America s most valued product safety symbol based on National Electrical Code (NEC). Any end product carrying the UL Listing Mark reflects compliance to the corresponding UL safety requirements. UL is the only Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) authorized to issue the UL Mark. CEC Requirements (California Energy Commission): Flat-plate non-concentrating photovoltaic modules require testing data from independent laboratories to ensure safety and high-quality metrics on module and inverter performance in the field. This data is also used to calculate the expected performance of the system. Eligible modules are listed with the California Energy Commission.

The Certification Process Preliminary Investigation Testing Certification Follow-Up Service Online Certifications Directory We recommend that manufacturers start with a preliminary investigation to evaluate the product and determine the level of compliance to regulatory requirements, both UL and IEC. This approach avoids major modifications, hence, delay in time to market. During the preliminary investigation, UL evaluates whether the construction, design and materials comply with the relevant standards. The result of the preliminary investigation is a detailed report in a letter format, listing non-compliant materials and structures (if applicable). This provides the manufacturer with the opportunity to rectify any non-compliance issues, and means that when it is time for the actual certification process, the pre-assessment phase will not be required again. As part of the preliminary investigation we can also provide: Gap analysis Material suitability Design review for certification Once the manufacturer is ready to begin the certification process and submits the relevant documentation, i.e., product specifications, drawings, etc., UL engineers and lab technicians will conduct a number of tests and evaluations in accordance with the applicable standards. This process will be followed by an initial production inspection (only applicable to factories manufacturing UL certified PV products for the first time) to confirm product compliance. Upon confirmation of compliance, UL will issue a Notice of Authorization (NoA) to the manufacturer, who can now apply the UL label to the product and ship as UL Listed. A joint certification is the ideal option for both safety and performance testing, providing significant cost and time savings. UL is a National Certification Body (NCB) for the applicable standards and is authorized to recognize and issue CB Reports in accordance with the requirements of the IEC standards. UL is the only Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) that is authorized to issue the UL Mark. Following certification, UL will perform follow-up services (FUS) at the manufacturing facility to ensure that the products produced are represented by the product evaluated. This step helps identify issues in the supply chain such as component or material substitutions and maintains the high value of the UL Mark. The product also enters UL s Online Certifications Directory, a valuable, free-of-charge source used by stakeholders looking for specific products certified in accordance with the requirements of UL Standards (available at UL.com). Data Acceptance Programs (DAP) for the UL Mark and IECEE CB Scheme While it is generally required that certification testing is performed at independent testing facilities, in some cases manufacturers with adequate internal testing capabilities may qualify for data acceptance arrangements. In nearly all programs, product tests conducted at a manufacturer s test facilities will be supervised by UL/CBTL staff. Find out more at ul.com/dap about the programs: Witness Data Program Client Test Data Program Total Certification Program Witnessed Manufacturing Testing Supervised Manufacturing Testing

Additional Programs enhance on-time Market Access An important component of UL s mission is to assist manufacturers to get safe products to market quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively. By streamlining, standardizing and bundling services, UL simplifies safety and improves manufacturers profitability. Master & Fast Track Single Test CEC PV Recognized Components The Master Certification Program is designed for manufacturers of PV production equipment who produce a complete turnkey-solution for flat-plate or thin-film PV module manufacturers. The PV production equipment manufacturer first submits basic module designs to UL for Master Certification. Once these are approved, the production lines can then be sold to PV module manufacturers with pre-certified designs for production. The Fast Track Certification Program is for PV module manufacturers who use an end-to-end solution from a supplier with UL Master Certification. The PV module manufacturer requests Fast Track Certification under the relevant equipment manufacturer s Master Certification Program. UL performs a review of the module construction and conducts limited testing. If no changes from the Master Certified module have been made, only the Humidity Freeze Test Sequence on a sample from the installed production line is conducted. In the Single Test Program, UL is provided with customer-specific test requirements. UL then conducts testing and issues a report with ratings, while avoiding the time commitment and highly specific parameters required for certification. This service can provide PV distributors and plant builders with the opportunity to test modules/components from suppliers or support manufacturers Research & Development and data verification, in order to better steer their production towards certification standards. Specific parameters may also be tested which exceed certification requirements but which fulfill installation-specific needs. Single tests can be from published performance and safety standards, whether international or country-specific, or as developed by manufacturer s to better understand their products performance for material, component or final product analyses. To be eligible for the California energy market, the California Energy Commission (CEC) requires high-quality testing from independent laboratories that determine safety and expected performance of flat-plate non-concentrating PV modules. Specifically, modules must be certified to for safety and must also be tested to a select set of performance tests derived from IEC 61215 or 61646. In addition, building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) modules intended for roof-integrated installations must comply with the mounting specifications for normal operating cell temperature (NOCT). Inverters and meters are also subject to standards and ratings. Only equipment that complies with the California Energy Commission is eligible for support from the Solar Electric Incentive Programs. In order to obtain UL certification for PV modules, all of critical components must comply with established North American standards. That is, in addition to testing the module itself, all polymeric materials, junction boxes, connectors and connecting cables must also be individually assessed. If the critical components used in their products have already been certified by UL, PV module manufacturers can reduce the risk of delay to market and the costs associated with end-product certification. With the comprehensive UL Recognized Components program and UL s Online Certifications Directory, PV module manufacturers can easily find previously certified components and materials meeting North American requirements. Manufacturers can thereby significantly reduce design and testing costs, while increasing the level of safety in the end product. These UL programs have offered streamlined testing and certification procedures that reduce costs and turnaround time for PV manufacturers, and help them get their products to market faster.

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