Solar (photovoltaic) building codes

[CriticalThanking]

I'm ready to take the plunge and put up solar panels (photovoltaic - PV) to try to offset some of my grid demand. The local electric company has been accepting PV intertie for almost 2 decades. Unfortnately, my city is not ready.

In a recent Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, lots of FUD was thrown about. It's not the subject of my (wordy) post, but it was interesting and hard to address. "What about aesthetics"? Not your job, city! "What about reflectivity?" You don't have ordinances about roofing/window reflectivity now, so get over it! That's just people/politics.

One area they did mention that gave me pause was the claim that current building codes do not address PV. A [member of a particular segment of the building profession] said that there are no ASTE, ASHE(?), or other electrical codes to which the panels themselves must adhere. He further claimed there are no construction/building codes about attachment (resistance to wind), wiring and conductivity, or roofing standards around their use. Our city inspectors must have some standard against which they can inspect. We are too small a city to recreate the wheel.

Yes, I will be living on Google soon to research this as well as reaching out to some of the solar providers. I'm looking to the forum community to see if there is knowledge on the specific points below:

• electrical/manufacturing code standards for PV panels
• national building codes for incorporation of PV panels
• model ordinances for cities regarding PV or other alternative generation sources

Thanks,

CT

 

[CriticalThanking]

I believe it was stated we use the 2006 electrical code.

 

[Dr. Keith]

Very interesting. I've got nothing for you, but I would think that anyone doing residential installations on fairly wide basis should be able to help you out. I would look for larger installation companies and ask to talk to their code compliance person. Don't limit your search to your state, most codes are used broadly.

Another option is to find out exactly what code your city has adopted and go to the code drafting body and see if they have a plug-in code the city could adopt to fill the gaps.

Sucks that you have to do the work for this. It should be easier . . .

 

[CriticalThanking]

Thanks for the comments. I did oversimplify a bit in the OP. I actually was working with a large installer. They were shocked our city's ordinances are interpreted as "if we don't explicitly permit it, it is not allowed." They weren't much help in giving me ammunition before going to P&Z, but I think they just don't think my small city is worth much investment of their time.

I do have some leads on proposed installer/inspection checklists, but these may be dated, and I don't know what is being used by cities who have been through all this. I definitely want to steal leverage model ordinances.

 

[Trakar]

I believe it was stated we use the 2006 electrical code.

NEC is updated and re-published every 3 years. Why is your community using codes that are so old and outdated? There are PV standards back as far as 1996 (that I am aware of) in the NEC.

Quick reference - http://solarprofessional.com/articl...-and-standards-applicable-to-pv-installations

Not sure what state you are in but this pdf from PG&E in California might give you some research start points.

http://www.pge.com/includes/docs/pd...inspecting_pv_systems_for_code_compliance.pdf

 

[CriticalThanking]

NEC is updated and re-published every 3 years. Why is your community using codes that are so old and outdated? There are PV standards back as far as 1996 (that I am aware of) in the NEC.

Yeah - we are very small town right between two very large cities. We want to act like a big city but don't have an engineer on staff. The guys who run the backhoe read the gas meters, inspects homes, and a dozen other jobs. It drives master plumber/electricians and some builders nuts when they try to do business in the city.

Quick reference - http://solarprofessional.com/articl...-and-standards-applicable-to-pv-installations

Not sure what state you are in but this pdf from PG&E in California might give you some research start points.

http://www.pge.com/includes/docs/pd...inspecting_pv_systems_for_code_compliance.pdf

Thanks for the links. I'm in Texas. [Insert conspiracy theory on big oil/gas here.]

 

[Beelzebuddy]

Yeah - we are very small town right between two very large cities.

I'm guessing Buda? I always found their back-asswardry to be quaint, in a tourist trap kind of way, but I can see how it might quickly become annoying if you live there.

 

[CriticalThanking]

Not Buda. There is enough back-asswardry to fully staff several cities.

I've found some good sources to investigate, as well as a contact at a university. I'll hopefully report back with some findings. Regardless, it will still be next year at best before the city does anything, assuming they were so inclined.

 

[Dr. Keith]

Not Buda. There is enough back-asswardry to fully staff several cities.

Certainly!

I've found some good sources to investigate, as well as a contact at a university. I'll hopefully report back with some findings. Regardless, it will still be next year at best before the city does anything, assuming they were so inclined.

I clicked on this hoping you had some good news. Please do report back when you learn more. This is going to be more interesting as the cost of solar continues to drop.