The fastest growing renewable technology is Photovoltaic (PV) solar. New PV solar technologies are being introduced all the time, with a growing number of manufacturers offering many products incorporating PV modules. Supported by Federal, and in many cases State incentives, PV solar is one renewable energy resource that is easily applied at the residential level, allowing individual home owners to access renewable energy. This is fueling the exponential growth of this industry. Increasingly important is the need for good consistent standards, not just for PV panels, but also for the entire energy conversion system and interconnection to the grid.
Since 1981, voluntary participants in the IEC committee TC 82 have been active in the preparation of international standards for photovoltaic conversion of solar energy into electrical energy and for all the elements in the entire PV energy system. TC 82’s scope includes standards pertaining to PV cells, modules, inverters, and balance of system, including the interface with the electrical system to which energy is supplied.