In 2010, Solar ABCs published an Interim Report, Flammability Testing of Standard Roofing Products in the Presence of Stand-off Mounted PV Modules. That report concluded that further investigation was required to refine the fire classification test for systems that include roofing materials as well as the PV array.

Since that recommendation, UL has conducted extensive research on this subject and published the research results in six research reports available on the Solar ABCs website.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is currently making code changes that will be published as the 2014 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC). The Code Making Panels have reviewed the submitted proposals and the NFPA has published the results of their deliberations in its Report on Proposals. The Report on Proposals is essentially a draft of the proposed changes to the NEC and is now available for public review and comment. Comments are due on October 17, 2012.

Some of the PV related changes include:

1.       690.12 for module-level shutdown for systems on buildings

2.       Arc fault detection for all systems (parallel and series)

3.       Low voltage redefined as 1000V

4.       PV arrays ungrounded above 300V

5.       705.12(D) expanded to include several new options.

Change proposals for the International Fire Code (IFC) and the International Residential Code (IRC) are due January 3, 2013. Learn more about the code development schedule.

The Solar ABCs held its 6th annual Stakeholder Meeting in Orlando, Florida on September 14, 2012 and provided PV stakeholders with an updated review of Solar ABCs projects plus current activities of other organizations developing PV codes and standards. Download the stakeholder meeting materials.