The Solar ABCs has released a new white paper that provides an overview of changes related to photovoltaic (PV) installations in the 2012 International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC). These codes include requirements for building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products and rack-mounted PV products. For each of these products, the codes include requirements for installation, materials, wind resistance, and fire classification. This information is intended to assist code officials, solar installers, and roofing contractors as they interpret and use these codes.  The white paper is entitled, Impacts on Photovoltaic Installations of Changes to the 2012 International Codes, and you can download the full white paper from the Solar ABCs website. 

The Solar ABCs has also published a separate document on the changes to the International Fire Code (IFC), entitled Understanding the CAL FIRE Solar Photovoltaic Installation Guideline, which is described in the next article.

The Solar ABCs has recently published a study report, "Understanding the CAL FIRE Solar Photovoltaic Installation Guideline" which provides the context and background information for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's (CAL FIRE's) "Solar Photovoltaic Installation Guideline" (Guideline).  In May 2010, the International Code Council approved a revised version of the Guideline for inclusion in the 2012 version of the International Fire Code (IFC). This elevates the importance of the Guideline from a recommendation to a legally binding code, and makes the thorough understanding in the reasoning behind the Guideline even more important.

This report provides the information for how the CAL FIRE task force developed the Guideline and why task force members recommended that photovoltaic systems be designed and installed to accommodate firefighting operations.  Additionally, the report provides an overview of each section of the Guideline, indicating the corresponding section of the IFC.  You can download a one-page summary and the full report from the Solar ABCs website.

The Solar ABCs has released a new policy recommendation that recommends the measured average power for a PV module shall be equal to or higher than the nominal nameplate power rating and that no individual module power shall be more than 3% below nominal.  

This policy recommendation is important because without a power rating tolerance policy, some PV modules may continue to have a significantly lower power output than the module's rating indicates. This results in reduced performance of installed PV systems that will not meet consumers' expectations. If overrating of modules continues, it will jeopardize the credibility of PV performance predictions with the general population and could slow progress toward wide adoption of solar energy technologies.

The Solar ABCs is pleased to announce the selection of new members for the Solar ABCs Advisory Committee.  Advisory Committee members include a balance of stakeholders from industry, utilities, state and local government, trade organizations, and others.  The Advisory Committee provides recommendations to the Solar ABCs Steering Committee on solar codes and standards issues, elects two of its members to the Steering Committee, and provides valuable advice to Solar ABCs projects.  The Advisory Committee meets quarterly by conference call or at national conferences.  "We received many more applications than the available positions on the Advisory Committee," said Larry Sherwood, Solar ABCs Project Administrator "which made selections from the multitude of extremely qualified nominations difficult, however we are very pleased with our selections and look forward to successful collaborations."  The new members include:

·       Ezra Auerbach, North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners

·       Christine Covington, Solar Energy Industries Association

·       Wolfgang Fritz, Schletter Inc.

·       Lee Kraemer, First Solar

·       Jean Posbic, MEMC Electronics Materials, Inc.

·       Patrick Saxton, California Energy Commission

A full listing and more information on the Advisory Committee can be found on the Solar ABCs website.