Webinar: Fire Rating of PV Systems:
A Guide for Stakeholders

November 06, 2014

In January of 2015, jurisdictions throughout the state of California will be mandating the installation of PV systems that have a Class A fire performance rating. With the few products available on the market, this enforcement date may prove disruptive to the PV industry if manufacturers do not move quickly to get their products certified to the new fire performance requirements.

The U.S. Dept. of Energy, through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is funding the development of a guide for stakeholders on fire performance of PV systems. The guide is written specifically to the following stakeholders impacted by the fire ratings of PV systems:

  • Labs certified to perform UL1703 fire tests
  • PV Module Manufacturers
  • PV Mounting System Manufacturers
  • PV Installing Contractors
  • Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) Enforcing Code Requirements

A draft of the guide will be available for review by late September, 2014. If you register for the webinar, you will receive the draft review copy of the report prior to the webinar.

This webinar will present why the guide is necessary and will cover the basic content and structure of the guide. The webinar will show how each stakeholder in the process have different needs and responsibilities that must be understood to effectively address the new code requirements. Labs need to understand how to interpret the new standard. PV module manufacturers need to understand changes in how modules are evaluated for fire performance. PV mounting system manufacturers were not part of the fire performance of PV systems. Now these mounting system manufacturers are the focal point of the testing process. Contractors installing PV systems need to know how to select products from their PV system suppliers that meet the new fire performance requirements. Lastly, AHJs need to understand what documentation and equipment to look for when permitting and inspecting systems that require a fire rating.

 

Webinar Materials