Photovoltaic Standards Reference

Management and Administration of the International Electrotechnical Commission Technical
Committee No. 82 Photovoltaic Energy Systems Secretariat

Howard O. Barikmo, Sunset Technology, Inc., e-mail: hbarikmo@aol.com
ABSTRACT
Standards are strategic business tools that help
develop new global markets. US participation
ensures foreign market access to US technology
and vice versa. Participants help to eliminate nontariff trade barriers. Participation keeps one on the
cutting edge of current technology and market
trends. This paper describes the organization of
Technical Committee 82, (TC-82) Photovoltaics, of
the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
and its various working groups that write standards
for the international photovoltaic industry.
1. Objectives
The objective of the TC-82 Secretariat is to
effectively manage the activities of the several
Working Groups (WG) of the Committee. This paper
delineates the efforts that have resulted in published
standards and lists those standards that are in
process of being written.
2. The IEC Mission
The International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares
and publishes international standards for all
electrical, electronic and related technologies.
3. TC-82
PV standards have been trailblazing other
distributed generation standards. Chairman of TC 82
is Dr. Heinz Ossenbrink, JRC, Ispra, Italy; Howard
O. Barikmo is the Secretary, Sunset Technology,
Scottsdale, Arizona.
The working groups of TC-82 are:
WG1: Glossary (Convenor: Hidenori Shimizu,
Japan) Task: To prepare a glossary.
WG2: Modules, non-concentrating (Convenor: Dr.
John Wohlgemuth, USA) Task: To develop
international standards for non-concentrating,
terrestrial photovoltaic modules.
WG3: Systems (Convenr: Dr. Markus Real,
Switzerland) Task: To give general instructions for
the photovoltaic system design, construction and
maintenance.
WG6: Balance-of-system components (Convenor:
Mr. Chuck Whitaker, USA) Task:
To develop
international standards for balance-of-system
components for PV systems.
WG 7: Concentrator modules (Convenor: Dr.
Robert McConnell, USA) Task: To develop
international
standards
for
photovoltaic
concentrators and receivers.
4. Published Standards
WG 1. GLOSSARY
1. IEC 61836: 1997, Solar photovoltaic energy
systems terms and symbols
WG 2. MODULES
IEC 60891: 1992 Am 1, Procedures for temperature
and irradiance corrections to measured I-V
characteristics of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV)
devices. Amendment No 1 (1992)
IEC 60904-1: 2006, PV-Part 1: Measurements of PV
current-voltage characteristics
IEC 60904-2: 1989, Photovoltaic devices Part 2:
Requirements for reference solar cells.
Measurement
for
principles
for
terrestrial
photovoltaic (PV) solar devices with reference
spectral irradiance data
Determination of the equivalent cell temperature
(ECT) of photovoltaic (PV) devices by the opencircuit voltage method.
Computation of spectral mismatch error introduced
in the testing of a photovoltaic device
Guidance for spectral measurement of spectral
response of a photovoltaic (PV) device. Second
edition (1998)
Solar simulator performance requirements
Linearity measurement methods
IEC 61215: 2005, Ed 2.0 Crystalline silicon
terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design
qualification and type approval (WG2)
IEC 61345: 1998, UV test for photovoltaic (PV)
modules
IEC 61646: 1996, Thin film silicon terrestrial PV
modules Design qualification and type approval
IEC 61701: 1995, Salt mist corrosion testing of
photovoltaic (PV) modules
IEC 61730-1: 2004, Ed. 1.0, PV module safety
qualification Part 1: Requirements for construction,
IEC 61730-2: 2004, Ed. 1.0, PV module safety
qualification Part 2: Requirements for testing, (WG
2)
IEC 61853-1, Power and energy rating of

photovoltaic (PV) modules Power Rating, (WG
2)

photovoltaic (PV) modules Test Methods (WG
2)

photovoltaic (PV) modules Energy Rating (WG
2)
WG 3. SYSTEMS
IEC 61194: 1993, Characteristic parameters of
stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems
IEC 61277: 1995, Guide: General description of
photovoltaic (PV) power generating systems
IEC 61683: 1999, PV systems Power conditioners
Procedure for measuring efficiency
IEC 61702: 1995, Rating of direct coupled
photovoltaic pumping systems
IEC 61724: 1998, Photovoltaic system performance
monitoring guidelines for measurement, data
exchange and analysis
IEC 61725: 1997, Analytical expression for daily
solar profiles
IEC 61727: 2004, Ed. 2.0, Photovoltaic (PV)
systems - Characteristics of the utility interface (WG
3)
IEC 61829: 1995, Crystalline silicon PV array Onsite measurement of I-V characteristics
IEC 62124: 2004, Ed. 1.0, PV stand-alone systems Design qualification and type approval, (WG 3)
WG 6 BALANCE-OF-SYSTEM COMPONENTS
JCG TC21/TC82, PV BATTERIES
IEC 61427: 1997, Secondary cells and batteries for
solar photovoltaic energy systems General
requirements and methods of test
JCWG
IEC 62257: 2003, Recommendations for small
renewable energy and hybrid systems for rural
electrification Part 1: General Introduction to rural
electrification.
IEC/TS 62257-2: (2004 Recommendations for small
electrification - Part 2: From requirements to a range
of electrification systems.
IEC/TS 62257-3: 2004 - Recommendations for small
electrification Part 3: Project Management
IEC/TS 62257-4: 2005, Recommendations for small
electrification Part 4 : System selection and design
IEC TS 62257-5: 2005 Ed. 1.0, Recommendations
for small renewable energy and hybrid systems for
rural electrification Part 5: Protection against
electrical hazards
5. Projects with Publication Imminent*
IEC 60904-2: Ed. 2, (CDV) Photovoltaic devices
Part 2: Requirements for reference solar cells. (WG
2)
Part 3: Measurement for principles for terrestrial
photovoltaic (PV) solar devices with reference
spectral irradiance data
IEC 60904-4: (CD) Photovoltaic Devices Part 4:

Procedures for establishing the traceability of the
calibration of reference solar devices.
Requirements for reference solar modules.
WITHDRAWN. Combined with 60904-4.
Part 7: Computation of spectral mismatch error
introduced in the testing of a photovoltaic device
IEC 60904-8: Ed. 3 (WD), Photovoltaic devices
Part 8: Guidance for spectral measurement of
spectral response of a photovoltaic (PV) device.
IEC 60904-9: Ed. 2 (WD), Photovoltaic devices
Part 9: Solar simulator performance requirements.
IEC 61173: 1992, Overvoltage protection for
photovoltaic (PV) power generating systems
WITHDRAWN
IEC 61646: Ed. 2 (CDV) Thin film silicon terrestrial
PV modules Design qualification and type
approval.
IEC 61701: Ed. 2 (WD) Salt mist corrosion testing of
photovoltaic (PV) modules
IEC 61721: 1995, Susceptibility of a module to
accidental impact damage (resistance impact)
WITHDRAWAL.
IEC 61836 Ed. 2.0, (CD) Solar PV energy systems
terms and symbols, (WG 1)
IEC 61829: ED. 2, (WD) Crystalline silicon
photovoltaic (PV) array - On-site measurement of I-V
characteristics (WG 6).
IEC 62108 Ed. 1.0, (CDV) Concentrator photovoltaic
(PV) receivers and modules - Design qualification
and type approval, (WG 7)
IEC 62109-1 Ed. 1.0, (CDV) Electrical safety of static
inverters and charge controllers for use in
photovoltaic (PV) power systems, (WG 6)
IEC 62109-2 Ed. 1.0, (CDV) Electrical safety of static
inverters and charge controllers for use in
photovoltaic (PV) power systems, (WG 6)
IEC 62116 Ed. 1.0, (CDV) Testing procedure Islanding
prevention
measures
for
power
conditioners used in grid connected photovoltaic
(PV) power generation systems, (WG 6)
6. Upcoming in 2007
NP on charge controllers and stand-alone inverters;
more rural electrification guidelines; maintenance
cycles on existing standards; review needs for wafer
or cell standards; examine need for organic thin film
technology design qualification standard.
Next meeting: Not finalized but probably in May,
2008.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work was supported under NREL
Subcontract No. AEJ-5-55159-01 PVC67101.

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Management and Administration of the International Electrotechnical Commission Technical

Committee No. 82 Photovoltaic Energy Systems Secretariat

IEC 61853-1, Power and energy rating of

IEC 61853-2, Power and energy rating of

IEC 61853-3, Power and energy rating of

IEC 60904-4: (CD) Photovoltaic Devices Part 4:

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