Safety issues

maximum PV array voltage, as calculated at the minimum outdoor temperature of 0 °C,

exceeds 1,000 Vdc,

For protection against electric shock, the requirements of IEC 60364-4-41 shall apply. PV
module exposed metal earthing and bonding shall be according to applicable standards.

Overcurrent within a PV array can result from earth faults in array wiring or from fault
currents due to short circuits in modules, in junction boxes, PV array combiner boxes or in
module wiring

PV modules are current limited sources but can be subjected to overcurrents because they can
be connected in parallel and also connected to external sources

Overcurrent protection shall be provided in accordance with applicable standards and with
PV module manufacturer’s requirements.

Overcurrent protection devices required for the protection of PV modules and/or wiring shall
be selected to reliably and consistently operate within 2 h when an overcurrent of 135 % of
the nominal device current rating is applied.

each PV string shall be protected with an overcurrent protection device (e.g. fuse or circuit
breaker), where the nominal overcurrent protection rating of the string overcurrent protection
device shall be In

In some PV module technologies ISC_MOD is higher than the nominal rated value during the
first weeks or months of operation. This should be taken into account when establishing
overcurrent protection and cable ratings.

Strings can generally only be grouped under one overcurrent protection device if
IMOD_MAX_OCPR is greater than 4 × ISC_MOD .
The 1.35 multiplier used here instead of the 1.5 multiplier used for strings is to allow designer
flexibility but also taking into account of the heightened irradiance.

PV arrays that have one conductor directly connected to a functional earth (i.e. not via a
resistance) shall be provided with a functional earth fault interrupter which operates to
interrupt earth fault current if an earth fault occurs in the PV arry.

The functional earth fault interrupter shall not interrupt the connection of exposed metal parts
to earth.

In a non-isolated inverter connected to the mains, an array earth fault will result in potentially
hazardous current flow as soon as the inverter connects to the earthed circuit. In an isolated
inverter, if an earth fault in a floating or functionally earthed PV array goes undetected, a
subsequent earth fault can cause hazardous current to flow. The detection and indication of
the original earth fault is required.

A means shall be provided to measure the insulation resistance from the PV array to earth
before starting operation and at least once every 24 h.
The residual current monitoring means shall measure the total (both AC and DC components)
RMS residual current.
Detection shall be provided to monitor for excessive continuous residual current, and
excessive sudden changes in residual current according to the applicable standards.

PV systems with at least simple separation between DC side and AC side do not need any
specific earth fault protection on AC side.

Without at least a simple separation between DC side and AC side a RCD Class B shall be
inserted downstream the output side of the inverter. If the inverter, by construction, cannot
inject DC current on AC side also in case of fault, a RCD Class A or Class B shall be inserted
downstream the output side of the inverter

If a lightning protection system (LPS) is already installed on the building, the PV system
should be integrated into the LPS as appropriate

All DC cables should be installed so that positive and negative cables of the same string and
the main array cable should be bundled together, avoiding the creation of loops in the system

These measures will act to both shield the cables from inductive surges and, by increasing
inductance, attenuate surge transmission.
Be aware of the need to allow any water or condensation that may accumulate in the conduit
or trunking to escape through properly designed and installed vents.

protect specific equipment, surge protective devices may be fitted as close as is practical to
the device.
To protect the DC system as a whole, surge protective devices can be fitted between active
conductors and between active conductors and earth at the inverter end of the DC cabling and
at the array
PV Buildings:
possible exposure of firefighters to electric-shock risk has to be considered, given the voltage
present in the daylight

Interposition of a non-combustible layer between PV modules with their interconnections and

the roof. The non-combustible layer shall be at least one-half-hour fire-rated

In case of High Hazard or Extra High Hazard buildings, a proper set of safety measures shall
be adopted and a new Risk Assessment is to be prepared for approval by the UAE Civil
Defence.

PV modules, wirings, switchboard assemblies and other equipment shall not cover any
ventilation system on the roof, e.g. skylights, smoke extraction systems or chimneys

In order to ensure correct operation of smoke extraction systems, PV components and wirings
shall be placed at a minimum distance of 1 m (top view) from their perimeter. The
positioning of the equipment and the installation has to be in line with manufacturer’s
specifications and recommendations
In order to avoid a sudden propagation of fire to external building areas, PV components and
wirings shall be placed at a minimum distance of 0.5 m (top view) from the perimeter of
skylights, chimneys or other openings

Components and equipment installed internally or externally shall not obstruct(thadaiyaga) in

any way the existing means of egress.

Minimum elevation of the PV modules above the roof shall be 50 mm.

In case of Ordinary Hazard and High Hazard buildings, a manual emergency system for the
disconnection of the PV modules from the internal electric plant of the building shall be
present
. A proper fire-compartmented area can be used instead of an external placement of the
disconnector (DC or AC).

The passage of cables from PV modules inside the building before the disconnector is
allowed provided that inside the building they are placed in a channel with a fire-rated
protection of at least one-half-hour.

The conveyance of cables from PV modules inside the building before the disconnector is
allowed, provided that inside the building they are placed in a tray / trunk with a fire-rated
protection of at least 30 minutes.

In all above mentioned buildings, except for One-and-Two-Family Dwelling, electrical

disconnection shall be operated by means of a manual call point installed at the height of 1.1
– 1.4 m above floor level and in a plain, accessible, well lit and free of hindrance
place(velucham ulla area)

The manual call point shall be close to an external access in order to be easily operated by
personnel or firefighters

The manual call point also disconnects or short-circuits separately each module or groups of
modules each of them having an open circuit voltage at STC not greater than 120 VDC.

Installation of an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) to protect the DC side from series arcs
in accordance with NEC Section 690.11 and UL 1699B. When AFCI detects a failure it
disconnects the DC side of the PV plant and generates an audible signal

A simplified site plan with the position of PV modules, cables and disconnectors as in the
example of Figure 7, shall be exposed close to the main energy meter

If a manual call point is present in the building a further copy of the simplified site plan shall
be clearly displayed on the side.

The area where PV modules, cables and other equipment is located, if accessible, shall be
marked by proper signs as indicated

They shall also be placed in correspondence to each PV plant access door

The same signs shall be used to indicate cables before disconnectors and shall be placed
every 5 meters along the cable.
These signs shall be UV resistant, and shall indicate the DC voltage as the Open Circuit
Voltage at STC of the PV array. Their minimum size is 200 × 200 mm (w × h)

be legible from at least 0.8 m unless otherwise specified in the relevant clauses;

PV arrays for installation on buildings shall not have maximum voltages greater than 1,000
Vdc, as calculated at the minimum outdoor temperature of 0 °C.
The inverters shall be provided with an IP65 enclosure for outdoor application and IP54
enclosure for indoor Application
The inverter shall be able to withstand the maximum temperatures with effective heating
dispersion and with a power derating smaller than or equal to 25 % of its rated power as
determined for an ambient temperature of 50 °C at the DC design voltage
For those inverters which do not comply with the above set rule, a placement in cooled room
or enclosures with effective ventilation shall be required, inside which the ambient
temperature will be kept below the value which determines a power derating equal to 25 % of
the inverter rated power at the DC design voltage.
. Earthing and Protection Schemes
The protection system is of considerable importance for secure and reliable operation of the
network and of the electric facilities (both passive and active).
According to DEWA rules, automatic installations must be provided for short-circuit clearing
in electric facilities, which must also be selective with the upstream protections ruled by
DEWA.
The Producer is responsible for the reliable protection of his plants (e.g. short-circuit, earth-
fault and overload protection).
For plants capable of injection of power in the Distribution Network,these protections need
also to guarantee that the plant does not contribute to sustain a fault in the network itself

An Interface Protection shall be installed with the purpose to separate the production plant
(which could be just a portion of an installation) thus ensuring that the connection of a RRGU
or a RRGP will not impair the integrity or degrade the safety of the Distribution System.
Therefore, this protection will intervene, disconnecting the RRGU / RRGP from the
Distribution Network, any time a problem with this latter is sensed (usually for a fault, where
the RRGP has to be disconnected in order to prevent from feeding it).

The loss of the auxiliary voltage of either the protection equipment or the plant’s control
system must lead to an instantaneous tripping of the interface switch.
In case of a RRGP with a Maximum Capacity ≥ 10 kW, as a rule only one Interface
Protection and one Interface Switch are installed.
Alternatively, in extended plants, it is possible to install more than one Interface Protections,
each one which controls a single Interface Switch
For RRGPs with a Maximum Capacity > 20 kW a backup switch to the Interface Switch shall
be provided
The Interface Protection shall include the ability to receive signals with protocol IEC 61850,
finalised to remote tripping.

To ensure correct calculations, the impedances between the RRGP and the connection point
(MV/LV transformer mlines, etc.) need to be taken into consideration
The maximum permissible phase power imbalance of 5 kW shall apply for each network
connection
Under normal operating conditions excluding the periods with interruptions, supply voltage
variations should not exceed } 5 % of the nominal voltage Un for MV network and } 6 %
of the nominal voltage Un for LV network, as per DEWA regulations. These values may rise
to }10% in particular and transitorily periods (Contingencies).
Supply voltage unbalance: Under normal operating conditions, during each period of one
week, 95 % of the 10 min mean r.m.s. values of the negative phase sequence component
(fundamental) of the supply voltage shall be within the range 0 % to 2 % of the positive phase
sequence component
Under normal operating conditions, during each period of one week, 95 % of the 10 min
mean r.m.s. values of each individual harmonic voltage shall be less than or equal to the
values given in EN50160. Resonances may cause higher voltages for an individual harmonic.
Unless differently specified, the THD of the supply voltage (including all harmonics up to the
order 40) shall be less than or equal to 8% for LV network and 6.5 % for MV network
The contribution of other disturbances on the grid shall be taken into consideration in the
calculations, in order not to impute them to the operation of the RRGP..
If a transformer between the DC section(s) and the AC section of the RRGU is not present, a
suitable protection shall be used in order to avoid any relevant DC injection into the grid
At the network assessment stage, a special harmonic evaluation will be performed by DEWA
to verify that a MV connected RRGP does not contribute to exceed the harmonic content
limits at the Point of Connection.
Any rate of change of frequency up to 2 Hz/s shall be withstood by the Renewable Resource
Generating Unit without disconnection from the network other than triggered by loss of
mains protection. The frequency shall be measured using 100 ms average

The Active Power output of the Renewable Resource Generating Unit connected to the
Network shall be controllable. For this purpose, the Renewable Resource Generating Plant
control system shall be capable of receiving an Instruction containing a required Set point,
given orally, manually or through automatic remote control system by DEWA.
The accuracy of frequency measurements for Active Power Frequency Response must be
better than 10 mHz.
All the Renewable Resources Generation Units connected to either MV or LV Distribution
Network have to participate to voltage control by means of production and absorption of
reactive power. The purpose of this is the limitation of over and undervoltages caused by the
RRGUs themselves, due to the injection of active power to the grid.
To achieve this ability of voltage regulation for RRGUs connected either to MV or LV (only
for PMC ≥ 10 kW) Distribution Network, the provision of reactive power shall be automatic,
with a local logic,

This control logic, according to DEWA request, shall be activated either locally or from
remote control through a proper interface. This possible choice between local and remote
control shall be adjustable inside the inverter
In particular, this provision of reactive power shall be based on the ratio P/Pn (where Pn is
the rated active power of the inverter), in a way that the RRGU must absorb lagging reactive
power above 50 % of its nominal power in order to reduce the voltage:

at most in 200 ms if the DC component exceeds 1 A; or

- at most in 1s if the DC component exceeds 0.5 % of the inverter rated current
The RRGUs and RRGPs shall be provided with all the necessary facilities for monitoring,
remote control and information exchange.
The remote control shall be required for RRGPs with Maximum Capacity larger or equal than
10 kW, whereas the remote monitoring shall be required for RRGPs with Maximum Capacity
larger than 100 kW.
The Interface Protection of RRGP with a Maximum Capacity 10 kW ≤ PMC ≤ 400 kW
connected to the LV Distribution Network shall be remotely controllable, in case a rapid
disconnection of the plant from the network is needed by DEWA
Foremost, a PV plant shall be installed according to the rules and standards applicable to the
specific site of construction: on a roof, flat or not, or on the ground.

In order to be prepared for all potential hazards and to effectively safeguard the safety of the
personnel involved in commissioning a PV plant, a thorough HSE Risk Assessment needs to
be carried out in line with all applicable procedures.

This Assessment will identify all potential hazards, stipulate any specific safety protection
measures that need to be adopted and outline any specific training activities that should be
carried out in order to ensure a safe PV plant installation process

All workers involved in the PV plant installation under the responsibility of the Applicant
shall attend H&S Induction Training prior to gaining access to the site, and receive “Toolbox
talk” regularly and particularly prior to beginning any activity on the site

This will ensure all personnel is adequately informed of the hazards connected to the activity,
and operating procedures recommended for safe performance of such activity

Personnel shall be suitably trained to carry out necessary activities and have the required
knowledge and experience.

A training program shall be made developed and delivered by adequate training organizations
to inform and educate relevant personnel regarding hazards and protection measures in PV
plant installation

Therefore proper maintenance has to be provided for such equipment in accordance with the
design, the applicable safety rules, and the recommendations of the manufacturer.

Specific electrical hazards apply to maintenance activities on the electrical parts of the PV
plant

Specifically during array connection during installation and replacement of PV panels there
are potential electrocution hazards
In addition, during inspection of the site there are risks of falls from the roof or accidents due
to material falling while being transported, tripping over or other causes.
And finally, risks can be observed during maintenance and cleaning operations in regards to
the cleaning techniques employed and cleaning tools used.
if the PV plant is mounted on a rooftop without protected pathways and trenches, workers
have to wear harnesses and fasten them to a safe belay.
Maintenance operation should be performed with the PV plant (or part of the PV plant
involved in maintenance) disconnected and all arrays not energised except in those operations
for which there is no identified risk

An arc flash is an explosion that occurs as result of an arc fault, which occurs when a short
circuit has been opened but the fuse has not blown or the circuit breaker has not been tripped.

A spark, or arc flash, occurs between connections, which can result in fires or even eye
damage due to ultraviolet rays

Arc faults are more likely to occur between corroded or loose connections.

As with electric shock, another danger with arc flash relates to the reaction of the mind and
the body during the incident

Arc faults are more likely to occur with high voltage electrical systems, but, since many PV
systems can produce voltages in the range 600-1000 VDC, the possibility of an arc flash has
to be considered

Burns can occur in varying degrees when working with PV systems. At the lowest part of the
spectrum: thermal burns are caused by metal and glass components exposed to the sun. These
components can reach temperature of over 90 degrees Celsius and can cause burns if
prolonged contact is involved.

At the extreme part of the spectrum the temperature can reach 9,000 degrees Celsius when an
arc flash occurs.

Adequate awareness of the phenomenon is part of the prevention procedures. Although faulty
equipment can cause an arc fault, often the most common cause is inappropriate human
behaviour or human error

The PPE clothing and goggles used need to be specifically rated for arc flashes with adequate
protection from the extreme light emitted

Preventive measures involve the testing of voltage using specific equipment

One such measure entails the use of a voltmeter: a tool that measures the amount of voltage
that exists at any given point within an electrical system
Testing voltage is particularly important for PV systems that handle high voltages at any
point in time
Given that modules are wired in series together in order to produce increasing amount of
voltage, relying on an ammeter alone can be dangerously deceiving.

Earthing is an important safety measure that needs to be followed in order to prevent

unnecessary exposure to electrical hazards.

To mitigate the effects of electrical hazards, the workers can ground an electrical system in a
way that allows the current to have a safe route to the ground
PV workers should ground individual components and the entire system
Proper earthing is simply yet another necessary precaution and ensures the safety of any
electrical environment and of the people who work in it.

In PV systems both DC circuits and AC circuits shall be grounded, DC and AC earthing

system shall be bonded together or even be built as a unique system
Should a building not be equipped with an earthing system, the designer shall include design
and installation of earthing system in the scope of work for a new PV plant installation
Earthing of PV support structures and module frames is also required as a measure that
safeguards during lightning
SPDs and surge arresters are normally provided through design as overvoltage protections in
a PV system
The tools that the PV workers and installers use have to be made with insulating material
The use of proper insulation level in case of high voltage, and the use of the same tools also
for lower voltage operations are advised. This measure could prevent injuries arising from
confusion due to the different insulation levels during the operation.
Furthermore the installation of Arc Fault Detection Devices should be considered especially
for large PV plants to prevent arrays remain energised even when disconnected
In principle, in order to extinguish an extended fire in a building the use of water is often
required and therefore the presence of a PV system with parts still live may represent a
concern unless proper safety measures are adopted

It is important that the protection equipment used by fire fighters, such as boots and gloves is
designed and tested for electrical shock as required for PV plant fire interventions.
Furthermore, fire fighters must be aware of potential trip, slide and fall hazards while
operating on the roof, because PV modules and arrays can be slippery or fragile

If deemed necessary, such marking signs shall be placed every 10 feet, at turns and above
and/or below penetrations, and at all D.C combiner and junction boxes.

Control of remote disconnect shall be located within one meter of the building’s main
electrical panel.

The remote disconnect DC array conductors that are routed through the building may be
required to be in a galvanized rigid steel conduit or electrical metallic tubing

The warning sign must be placed at least every 10 meters of the electrical duct from the
arrays to the inverter’s cabin and before all entrances and along the way out of the PV plant.

The same signs shall be used to indicate cables before disconnectors and shall be placed
every 5 meters along the cable.

These signs shall be UV resistant and shall indicate the DC voltage as the Open Circuit
Voltage at STC of the PV array. Their minimum size is 200 × 150 mm (w × h).

The identification of suitable cleaning method is a choice of the designer and a responsibility
of the Owner as long as they want to avoid a decrease of the performance and the safety of
the PV system.
The designer shall issue a description of the O&M procedure for module cleaning and dust
removal that will form a part of the documentation necessary for Project Evaluation and/or
getting approval at the Design Approval stage.

There are several factors to be accounted for when planning to install photovoltaic panels on rooftops.
Considering the geometry of the PV array, these factors are (see Figure 1):
• Orientation of PV modules to the sun;
• Inclination (tilt) angle of PV modules; and
• Shadowing from objects or other buildings

The favourable orientation (azimuth) for fixed solar cells in Dubai throughout the year is South (0° S) with an
inclination (tilt) of about 24° with respect to the horizontal plane

This allows an average annual irradiation on a horizontal plane of about 2000-2100 kWh/m²yr for Dubai 1 when
both the direct and diffused radiation are considered, which means about 1500-1800 kWh/yr per kWp
installed.

It is also possible to stay below a 5% loss by varying the azimuth of PV modules from -60° to +60°, if the tilt is
maintained at 24°.

It is essential to avoid any shadows on the PV modules, because this can cause a substantial drop in the system
performance
In contrast to solar thermal collectors, any shadow on a PV array causes a signifcant reduction of the power
produced

Furthermore, especially in UAE, where the beam fraction of the solar radiation is high, partial shadowing on PV
modules causes strain on shadowed PV cells which may, in turn, cause local temperature escalation (hot-spots)
and may thus compromise the durability and safety of these components.

It is important that PV modules are kept clean and to avoid deposits of dirt and dust, since these reduce the
effciency of these components

The Emirate of Dubai is in a region prone to dusty desert environments and frequent dust storms, therefore, it
is recommended to clean the PV system as to avoid dust, sand and dirt accumulation
A fatter position of PV modules may increase the deposits on PV modules and render their cleaning and
washing more diffcult, especially in case of large surfaces. It is therefore recommended to adopt a minimum
tilt angle of at least 10°

In a building, PV modules are usually installed on the roof in order to reduce shadowing and also to exploit
surfaces often left unused.
Although often attractive from the point of view of aesthetics, PV facades (tilt = 90° or similar) are not
recommended from an energy effciency point of view, because their production is approximately 50% less
than when optimally positioned.
A typical renewable generation unit producing electricity has to be connected to a sub main distribution board or
to the main distribution board and is usually composed of:

• Solar PV modules and their interconnections;

• Inverter(s);
• Metering System; and
• Electrical and mechanical installations (structures, cables, switchgears and controlgear assemblies).

The connection schemes also show another important element, namely the Interface Protection, which
prevents the current of the plant from being injected into the network whenever a faulty event is detected on
the latter.
The switch on which the Interface Protection acts (Interface Switch) may also be used to disconnect the plant
for maintenance purposes, without causing any shortages on the existing loads.

Solar PV modules can consist of PV cells of different technologies. In commercial and non-concentrating
applications, single-crystalline and multi-crystalline cells achieve the maximum efficiency

while thin-flm technologies need more surface to produce the same power than their crystalline counterparts

However it is advisable to have a workmanship warranty of at least 10 years and, given the harsh conditions in
Dubai, also a third party insurance backing for medium-large size plants (e.g. greater than 1 MW).

In general, Bypass diodes should be installed in order to prevent reverse bias in the PV modules and to avoid
consequent hot spot heating.

The inverter converts the DC current produced by PV modules into AC current that can be used directly in the
house/premises and/or injected into the external network.

Ideally, the inverter should be located close to the photovoltaic modules to avoid losses, but this cannot
always be possible because of the harsh outside conditions

High temperatures and dust in particular, require special caution in order to avoid any damage or performance
reduction of the equipment

It is therefore recommended to verify that the highest temperature to which the inverter can be exposed in
summer does not cause any damage to it or reduce its life.

Moreover, it is necessary to avoid high temperatures that may trigger any protection system aimed to reduce
the internal temperature of the inverter by reducing its power (de-rating protection)

If these conditions are not satisfed by mounting the inverter outside it is recommended to install the inverter
in a safe room with enough ventilation and air conditioning, if necessary.

Whatever the case may be, the inverter shall be able to withstand the maximum temperatures with effective
heating dispersion and with a power derating smaller than or equal to 25 % of its rated power as determined
for an ambient temperature of 50 °C at the DC design voltage.

In addition, provisions which prevent the increase of the internal heating of the inverters shall be taken for
outdoor installation (e.g. protections against direct exposition to the sun). For those inverters which do not
comply with the above set rule, a placement in cooled room or enclosures with effective ventilation shall be
required, inside which the ambient temperature will be kept below the value which determines a power
derating equal to 25% of the inverter rated power at the DC design voltage.

All components and equipment is chosen adequately in order to assure its integrity and operation for a long
lasting period. All equipment should be of an IP rating suitable for the location and this particularly applies to

• Cables and connectors exposed to sunrays (UV in particular), external temperature and other weather
conditions. This equipment is to be certifcated for their application (e.g. solar cables). In DC circuits single-wire
cables shall be used with different colours for the two poles: red for positive (+) and black or blue for negative
• Switchgears and controlgear assembly shall be properly protected against temperature, sunrays (UV in
particular), dust, salinity and all other weather conditions present on the site. Installation in a safe room is
recommended. Their compliance to applicable standards shall be properly certifcated (IEC 61439 series).
• PV string combiner boxes shall be properly protected against temperature, sunrays (UV in particular),
dust, salinity and all other weather conditions present on the site. Their location shall be visible without
obstacle to their inspection and replacement of components (e.g. fuses). Their compliance to applicable
standards shall be properly certifcated (IEC 61439 series where applicable).
The relation of a PV array to earth is determined by whether any earthing of the array for functional reasons is
in use, the impedance of that connection and also by the earth status of the circuit. This and the location of the
earth connection all affect safety for the PV array
The requirements and recommendations of manufacturers of PV modules and manufacturers of inverters to
which the PV array is connected will be taken into account when determining the most appropriate system
earthing arrangement.

Earthing of PV module frames and supporting metallic structures shall be executed according to IeC/TS 62548
and other applicable standards. All earthing connections in the PV plant (DC and AC sections) shall be part of a
unique earthing system, i.e. a proper bonding shall be assured.

All PV strings within a PV array connected in parallel are to be of the same technology and have the same
number of series connected PV modules

In addition, all PV modules in parallel within the PV array shall have similar rated electrical characteristics,
including short circuit current, open circuit voltage, maximum power current, maximum power voltage and
rated power (all at STC).

PV arrays are often connected to inverters with multiple DC inputs

If multiple DC inputs are in use, overcurrent protection and cable sizing within the various sections of the PV
array(s) are critically dependent on the limiting of any back-feed currents (i.e. currents from the inverter out
into the array) provided by the input circuits of the inverter.

Where an inverter input circuit provides separate maximum power point tracking (MPPT) inputs, the
overcurrent protection of the sub-array connected to the inputs shall take into account any back-feed currents
Each PV section connected to an input must be treated as a separate PV sub-array. Each PV array or sub-array
shall have a switch-disconnector to provide isolation of the inverter.

• Permanently mounted close to the PV module but not mounted to or in direct contact with the module
backsheet (also called Detached Microinverters). DC wiring are thus accessible to service personnel, although is
deemed to be not user-accessible.
• Permanently mounted to the PV module’s backsheet for both electrical and mechanical means of
connection (AC modules).

Differently from classical PV arrays, in PV systems that use microinverters the connections in the array are
made by using one or more AC parallel wiring systems (AC bus).

Instructions of manufacturers shall be applied especially as regards bonding/earthing of microinverters and in

order to avoid overloads on AC wiring

In particular, AC cables shall have a proper voltage rate and, unless they are adequately protected, they shall
be resistant to high temperatures, UV rays and other possible mechanical stresses.

In case of detached microinverters, attention has to be paid to the characteristics of DC connectors when used
as a means to disconnect the DC circuit. When not rated to disconnect under load, all the necessary
precautions have to be taken before disconnecting them (e.g. covering of the module).

Provisions should be taken in the mounting arrangement of PV modules to allow for the maximum
expansion/contraction of the modules under expected operating temperatures, according to the
manufacturer’s recommendations.

PV modules, module mounting frames, and the methods used for attaching frames to buildings shall be rated
for the maximum expected wind speeds in Dubai according to local codes.
In assessing this component, the wind speed observed (or known) on site shall be used, with due consideration
to wind events (cyclones, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.). The PV array structure shall be secured in an
appropriate manner or in accordance with local building standards.

Wind force applied to the PV array will generate a signifcant load for building structures. This load should be
accounted for in assessing the capability of the building to withstand the resulting forces.

Module mounting frames, and the methods used for attaching modules to frames and frames to buildings,
shall be made from corrosion resistant materials suitable for the lifetime and duty of the system, e.g.
aluminium, galvanized steel, zinc-coated steel, etc.

Aluminium, when used, shall be anodized to a thickness and specifcation suitable for the location and duty of
the system. Corrosive gases such as ammonia, in farming environments also need to be contemplated.

Care shall be taken to prevent electrochemical corrosion between dissimilar metals. This may occur between
structures and the building and also between structures, fasteners and PV modules.

Stand-off materials shall be used to reduce electrochemical corrosion between galvanically dissimilar metal
surfaces; e.g. nylon washers, rubber insulators, etc..

Manufacturer’s instructions and local codes should be consulted regarding the design of mounting systems
and any other connections such as earthing systems.