27.160 - Solar energy engineering

IEC 61215-2:2021 is available as IEC 61215-2:2021 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.IEC 61215-2:2021 lays down requirements for the design qualification of terrestrial photovoltaic modules suitable for long-term operation in open-air climates. This document is intended to apply to all terrestrial flat plate module materials such as crystalline silicon module types as well as thin-fi...view more

IEC 61215-1:2021 is available as IEC 61215-1:2021 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.
IEC 61215-1:2021 lays down requirements for the design qualification of terrestrial photovoltaic modules suitable for long-term operation in open-air climates. The useful service life of modules so qualified will depend on their design, their environment and the conditions under which they are opera...view more

IEC 61215-1-1:2021 is available as IEC 61215-1-1:2021 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.
IEC 61215-1-1:2021 lays down requirements for the design qualification of terrestrial photovoltaic modules suitable for long-term operation in open-air climates. The useful service life of modules so qualified will depend on their design, their environment and the conditions under which they are...view more

IEC 61215-1-3:2021 is available as IEC 61215-1-3:2021 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.
IEC 61215-1-3:2021 lays down requirements for the design qualification of terrestrial photovoltaic modules suitable for long-term operation in open-air climates. The useful service life of modules so qualified will depend on their design, their environment and the conditions under which they are...view more

IEC 61215-1-4:2021 is available as IEC 61215-1-4:2021 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.IEC 61215-1-4:2021 lays down requirements for the design qualification of terrestrial photovoltaic modules suitable for long-term operation in open-air climates. The useful service life of modules so qualified will depend on their design, their environment and the conditions under which they are ...view more

IEC TR 63226:2021 is intended for use as guidance for reducing fire risks in general and for site-specific needs for buildings with PV systems. In addition to the general recommendations, technical, installation, and maintenance measures can be selected to reach the intended safety level of the PV system and building, depending on the results of a risk assessment. This document contains general information about building related risks and includes measures for reducing those risks. These measure...view more

IEC 61215-1-2:2021 is available as IEC 61215-1-2:2021 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.
IEC 61215-1-2:2021 lays down requirements for the design qualification of terrestrial photovoltaic modules suitable for long-term operation in open-air climates. The useful service life of modules so qualified will depend on their design, their environment and the conditions under which they ...view more

IEC TS 62862-2-1:2021 defines the requirements and the test methods for the characterization of thermal energy storage (TES) systems. This document contains the information necessary for determining the performance and functional characteristics of active direct and indirect thermal energy storage systems based on sensible heat in solar thermal power plants using parabolic-trough collector, Fresnel collector or tower central receiver technology with liquid storage media.
This document includes ...view more

IEC TS 63156:2021 describes the procedure for evaluating the energy conversion performance of stand-alone or grid-connected power conversion equipment (PCE) used in PV systems. This procedure includes the calculation of inverter performance to anticipate the energy yield of PV systems. This evaluation method is based on standard power efficiency calculation procedures for PCE found in IEC 61683 and IEC 62891, but provides additional methods for evaluating the expected overall energy efficiency f...view more

IEC 62787:2021 specifies the minimum requirements for the qualification of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) cells and Cell on Carrier (CoC) assemblies for incorporation into CPV receivers, modules and systems. The object of this qualification standard is to determine the optoelectronic, mechanical, thermal, and processing characteristics of CPV cells and CoCs to show that they are capable of withstanding assembly processes and CPV application environments. The qualification tests of this document...view more

IEC/TS 62727:2012(E) provides guidelines for the parameters to be specified for solar trackers for photovoltaic systems and provides recommendations for measurement techniques. The purpose of this test specification is to define the performance characteristics of trackers and describe the methods to calculate and/or measure critical parameters. This specification provides industry-wide definitions and parameters for solar trackers. Keywords: solar photovoltaic energy, solar trackers

This part of IEC 60904 describes procedures for the measurement of current-voltage
characteristics (I-V curves) of photovoltaic (PV) devices in natural or simulated sunlight. These
procedures are applicable to a single PV solar cell, a sub-assembly of PV solar cells, or a PV
module. They are applicable to single-junction mono-facial PV devices. For other device types,
reference is made to the respective documents, in particular for multi-junction devices to
IEC 60904-1-1 and for bifacial de...view more

This part of IEC 60904 describes the procedures used to measure the dependence of any
electrical parameter (Y) of a photovoltaic (PV) device with respect to a test parameter (X) and
to determine the degree at which this dependence is close to an ideal linear (straight-line)
function. It also gives guidance on how to consider deviations from the ideal linear
dependence and in general on how to deal with non-linearities of PV device electrical
parameters. Typical device parameters are the sho...view more

No scope available

IEC standards for photovoltaic devices require the use of specific classes of solar simulators
deemed appropriate for specific tests. Solar simulators can be either used for performance
measurements of PV devices or endurance irradiation tests. This part of IEC 60904 provides
the definitions of and means for determining simulator classifications at the required
irradiance levels used for electrical stabilization and characterisation of PV devices.
This document is applicable for solar simul...view more

IEC TR 60904-14:2020 provides guidelines for measurements of the maximum power (Pmax) output of single-junction photovoltaic (PV) modules and for reporting at standard test conditions (STC) in industrial production line settings. As it is desirable to have consistent measurement practices across the industry, this document describes the following features of such measurements:
- Essential elements, in order to provide common understanding;
- Common issues or complications;
- Sources of error ...view more

IEC corrected version

IEC TS 63106-1:2020 provide recommendations for Low Voltage (LV) AC power simulators used for testing utility interactive photovoltaic power conversion equipment (PCE). This document establish terminology, and create a framework for, and provide guidance regarding the electrical performance of AC power simulators used to test utility interactive photovoltaic (PV) power conversion equipment (PCE) for compliance with grid interconnection standards.
It serves as a generalized guideline for the dev...view more

IEC TR 63227:2020 deals with the protection of PV power supply systems against detrimental effects of lightning strikes and surge voltages of atmospheric origin. In the event that a lightning and/or surge voltage protection is required to be erected, this document describes requirements and measures for maintaining the safety, functionality, and availability of the PV power supply systems.

This document describes safety requirements, constructional requirements and tests for
junction boxes up to 1 500 V DC for use on photovoltaic modules in accordance with class II
of IEC 61140:2016.
This document applies also to enclosures mounted on PV-modules containing electronic
circuits for converting, controlling, monitoring or similar operations. Additional requirements
concerning the relevant operations are applied under consideration of the environmental
conditions of the PV-module...view more

IEC 63092-1:2020 specifies BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaic) module requirements and applies to photovoltaic modules used as building products. It focuses on the properties of these photovoltaic modules relevant to basic building requirements and the applicable electro-technical requirements. This document addresses requirements on the BIPV modules in the specific ways they are intended to be mounted but not the mounting structure itself, which is within the scope of IEC 63092-2. This docu...view more

IEC 63092-2:2020 specifies BIPV system requirements and applies to photovoltaic systems that are integrated into buildings with the photovoltaic modules used as building products. It focuses on the properties of these photovoltaic systems relevant to basic building requirements and the applicable electrotechnical requirements.
This document addresses requirements on the BIPV systems in the specific ways they are intended to be mounted and the mounting structure, but not the BIPV module itself, ...view more

IEC 60904-1:2020 describes procedures for the measurement of current-voltage characteristics (I-V curves) of photovoltaic (PV) devices in natural or simulated sunlight. These procedures are applicable to a single PV solar cell, a sub-assembly of PV solar cells, or a PV module. This document is applicable to non-concentrating PV devices for use in terrestrial environments, with reference to (usually but not exclusively) the global reference spectral irradiance AM1.5 defined in IEC 60904-3.
This ...view more

IEC 60904-9:2020 is applicable for solar simulators used in PV test and calibration laboratories and in manufacturing lines of solar cells and PV modules. This document define classifications of solar simulators for use in indoor measurements of terrestrial photovoltaic devices. Solar simulators are classified as A+, A, B or C based on criteria of spectral distribution match, irradiance non-uniformity in the test plane and temporal instability of irradiance. This document provides the required m...view more

IEC 60904-10:2020 describes the procedures used to measure the dependence of any electrical parameter (Y) of a photovoltaic (PV) device with respect to a test parameter (X) and to determine the degree at which this dependence is close to an ideal linear (straight-line) function. It also gives guidance on how to consider deviations from the ideal linear dependence and in general on how to deal with non-linearities of PV device electrical parameters.
This third edition cancels and replaces the se...view more

Photovoltaic (PV) modules are electrical devices normally intended for continuous outdoor
exposure during their lifetime. Highly corrosive wet atmospheres, such as marine
environments or locations near the ocean or other large bodies of salt water, could eventually
degrade some of the PV module components (corrosion of metallic parts, deterioration of the
properties of some non-metallic materials – such as protective coatings and plastics – by
assimilation of salts, etc.) causing permanent ...view more

This document provides a method for determining how well a framed PV module performs
mechanically under the influence of inclined non-uniform snow loads. This document is
applicable for framed modules with frames protruding beyond the front glass surface on the
lower edge after intended installation and as such creates an additional barrier to snow sliding
down from modules. For modules with other frame constructions, such as backrails formed in
frames, on the side edges, on the top edge an...view more

IEC TR 63279:2020 reviews research into sequential and combined accelerated stress tests that have been devised to determine the potential for degradation modes in PV modules that occur in the field that single-factor and steady-state tests do not show. This document is intended to provide data and theory-based motivation and help visualize the next steps for improved accelerated stress tests that will derisk PV module materials and designs. Any incremental savings as a result of increased relia...view more

This document describes the principles for selection, installation and coordination of SPDs intended for use in Photovoltaic (PV) systems up to 1500 V DC and for the AC side of the PV system rated up to 1000 V rms 50/60 Hz.
The photovoltaic installation extends from a PV array or a set of interconnected PV-modules to include the associated cabling and protective devices and the converter up to the connection point in the distribution board or the utility supply point.
This document considers S...view more

IEC TS 62910:2020 is available as IEC TS 62910:2020 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.
IEC TS 62910:2020 provides a test procedure for evaluating the performance of Under Voltage Ride-Through (UVRT) functions in inverters used in utility-interconnected Photovoltaic (PV) systems. This document is most applicable to large systems where PV inverters are connected to utility high voltag...view more

IEC 61215-2 provides a set of qualification tests that indicate that a PV module design is likely
to be free of flaws that will result in early failure. However, IEC 61215-2 does not address the
long term wear-out of PV modules. This part of IEC 62788-1 is designed as a more rigorous
qualification test, using accelerated UV exposure at elevated temperature to determine whether
polymeric encapsulants can suffer loss of optical transmittance. IEC 61215-2 already includes
a UV preconditioning ...view more

IEC 62891:2020 provides a procedure for the measurement of the efficiency of the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) of inverters used in grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems. Both the static and dynamic MPPT efficiency are considered. Based on the static MPPT efficiency calculated in this document and steady state conversion efficiency determined in IEC 61683 the overall efficiency can be calculated. The dynamic MPPT efficiency is indicated separately.

IEC 62790:2020 is available as IEC 62790:2020 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.IEC 62790:2020 describes safety requirements, constructional requirements and tests for junction boxes up to 1 500 V DC for use on photovoltaic modules in accordance with class II of IEC 61140:2016.
This document applies also to enclosures mounted on PV-modules containing electronic circuits for convert...view more

IEC 62109-3:2020 covers the particular safety requirements for electronic elements that are mechanically and/or electrically incorporated with photovoltaic (PV) modules or systems.
Mechanically and/or electrically incorporated means that the whole combination of electronic device with the photovoltaic element is sold as one product. Nevertheless, tests provided in this document may also be used to evaluate compatibility of PV modules and electronic devices that are sold separately and are inten...view more

IEC TR 63292:2020 continues the effort started with the availability technical specification (IEC TS 63019). Availability is closely related to PVPS operational capability, health and condition and to produce energy and is a real-time or historical measure. The availability of a system or component is impacted by contractual and non-contractual reliability specifications, maintenance metrics and a corresponding maintenance and repair strategy, and also external factors such as site environmental...view more

IEC TS 63126:2020 defines additional testing requirements for modules deployed under conditions leading to higher module temperature which are beyond the scope of IEC 61215-1 and IEC 61730-1 and the relevant component standards, IEC 62790 and IEC 62852. The testing conditions specified in IEC 61215-2 and IEC 61730-2 (and the relevant component standards IEC 62790 and IEC 62852) assumed that these standards are applicable for module deployment where the 98th percentile temperature (T98th), that i...view more

IEC TS 62788-5-2:2020 provides guidelines to assess the ability of an edge seal to prevent moisture ingress from the edges of PV modules. This document does not cover frame adhesives (sometimes colloquially referred to as edge seals) which by design do not serve to prevent moisture ingress to a meaningful degree. Edge seals should keep moisture out, remain adhered, and maintain electrically insulation from the environment. Much of the testing can be done on the material level, but given the fact...view more

IEC 61701:2020 describes test sequences useful to determine the resistance of different PV modules to corrosion from salt mist containing Cl (NaCl, MgCl2, etc.). All tests included in the sequences are fully described in IEC 61215‑2, IEC 62108, IEC 61730‑2 and IEC 60068‑2‑52. The bypass diode functionality test in this document is modified from its description in IEC 61215‑2. They are combined in this document to provide means to evaluate possible faults caused in PV modules when operating under...view more

IEC 62257-9-8:2020 provides baseline requirements for quality, durability and truth in advertising to protect consumers of off-grid renewable energy products. Evaluation of these requirements is based on tests described in IEC TS 62257-9-5. This document can be used alone or in conjunction with other international standards that address the safety and durability of components of off-grid renewable energy products.

IEC 62446-2 IEC 62446 describes basic preventive, corrective, and performance relatedmaintenance requirements and recommendations for grid-connected PV systems. Themaintenance procedures cover: - Basic maintenance of the system components and connections for reliability, safety andfire prevention - Measures for corrective maintenance and troubleshooting• Worker safetyThis document also addresses maintenance activities for maximizing anticipated performancesuch as module cleaning and upkeep of ve...view more

Amendment to add Annex ZZ for EMC

NEXT ACTION: PUBLICATION EXPECTED BY 2020-05-15

EN-IEC 62788-6-2 provides methods for measuring the steady-state water vapour transmissionrate (WVTR), water vapour permeability (P), diffusivity (D), solubility (S), and moisturebreakthrough time (?10) (defined as the time to reach 10 % of the steady state WVTR) forpolymeric materials such as encapsulants, edge seals, frontsheets and backsheets. Thesemeasurements can be made at selected temperatures and humidity levels as deemedappropriate for evaluation of their performance in PV modules. Meas...view more

EN-IEC 62788-5-1 provides procedures for standardized test methods for evaluating theproperties of materials designed to be used as edge seals. When modules are constructed withimpermeable (or extremely low permeability) front- and backsheets designed to protectmoisture-sensitive photovoltaic (PV) materials, there is still the possibility for moisture to get infrom the sides. This moisture ingress pathway can be restricted by using a low-diffusivitymaterial around the perimeter of a module betwe...view more

IEC TS 62257-12-1:2020 is available as IEC TS 62257-12-1:2020 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.
IEC TS 62257-12-1:2020 establishes the framework for creating a product specification for lamps and lighting appliances to serve as the basis for evaluating quality for a particular context. Product specifications include minimum requirements for quality standards, warranty requirements,...view more

IEC 62938:2020 provides a method for determining how well a framed PV module performs mechanically under the influence of inclined non-uniform snow loads. This document is applicable for framed modules with frames protruding beyond the front glass surface on the lower edge after intended installation and as such creates an additional barrier to snow sliding down from modules. For modules with other frame constructions, such as backrails formed in frames, on the side edges, on the top edge and on...view more

IEC 62788-1-7:2020 is designed as a more rigorous qualification test, using accelerated UV exposure at elevated temperature to determine whether polymeric encapsulants can suffer loss of optical transmittance. IEC 61215-2 already includes a UV preconditioning test (MQT 10), however, the parameters for that test only represent a limited level of exposure (~weeks of UV dose). This test procedure is intended for representative coupon specimens, applying stress at a greater intensity (designed relat...view more