Solar Photovoltaic Inspection Program

Solar Photovoltaic Inspection Program

Introduction

The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (the department) undertook an inspection program of a selection of solar photovoltaic systems funded under the Solar Homes and Communities Plan (SHCP) and National Solar Schools Program. The inspection program was established to check compliance with program guidelines and Australian Standards.

Solar photovoltaic industry in Australia

The Australian solar industry is a strongly regulated industry with state and territory governments responsible for setting and regulating workplace and electrical standards in relation to roof top solar photovoltaic panel installations across Australia. The Clean Energy Council also has a role in accrediting licensed electricians to undertake work on solar photovoltaic systems.

Program background

Solar Homes and Communities Plan

The Solar Homes and Communities Plan (SHCP) commenced as the Photovoltaic Rebate Program (PVRP) in 2000. The PVRP and SHCP have assisted Australian householders and communities to reduce their energy use and save on energy bills. The programs provided rebates of up to $8000 for the installation of solar photovoltaic systems in households and provided 50 per cent of eligible costs for the first two kilowatts in eligible community installations including schools and not-for-profit organisations.

SHCP closed to new applications on 9 June 2009, when the program was replaced by Solar Credits. At the conclusion of SHCP, more than $1 billion in funding had been provided for the installation of over 130 000 systems.

National Solar Schools Program

The National Solar Schools Program commenced in July 2008 to help Australian schools take practical action to tackle climate change. Eligible schools have the opportunity to compete for grant funding to install solar power systems, rainwater tanks and a range of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. Schools are able to improve their energy and water efficiency as well as reduce their ongoing energy costs. This grants program is ongoing.

Further information is available on the National Solar Schools Program website.

On-site inspections of solar photovoltaic systems

The solar photovoltaic inspection program formed part of the department's compliance strategy to ensure Commonwealth funds were spent in accordance with program guidelines.

To achieve this outcome, the inspection program was designed to confirm, among other things, the existence of the system, that the system was certified, and that the system was installed to applicable standards—as required by program guidelines.

A total of 2502 inspections were completed under the department's inspection program. Of these, 1502 were random inspections, while 1000 were targeted inspections. Inspections were targeted based on information gathered through a previous inspection program conducted by the Clean Energy Council, through complaints received by the department, and to ensure coverage of a cross-section of installers.

The solar photovoltaic inspection program was implemented through three independent inspection companies, Global Sustainable Energy Solutions (GSES), Master Electricians Australia (MEA) and the Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES). These companies each have extensive experience, specialised knowledge and understanding of standards and requirements of photovoltaic systems.

The inspection program commenced in October 2010. Inspections were based on a comprehensive inspection checklist, which was developed by the department in consultation with technical and industry experts, state and territory authorities and ORER. The inspection program, which concluded in August 2011, inspected a sample of installations in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. The systems inspected as a part of the program were installed over the period 2009 through 2011. Final reports from inspection companies were provided to the Department in November 2011.

The solar photovoltaic inspection program carried out by the department did not and does not replace or remove the responsibility of state and territory governments in regulating workplace and electrical safety. While the main purpose of inspections under this program was to confirm compliance with program requirements and Australian standards, inspections detected breaches of electrical safety standards which are administered under state and territory legislation. Information on breaches has been provided to the relevant state and territory regulatory authorities to assist them in discharging their regulatory responsibilities.

Roles and responsibilities

The solar photovoltaic inspectors were responsible for:

• obtaining informed consent from the owner of the system and occupier of the premises prior to conducting an inspection
• conducting an inspection in order to determine if requirements of program guidelines and Australian Standards had been met
• addressing any imminent safety risks, including notification of all interested parties of the extent and nature of the safety risk and formal notification of the issue to the relevant state or territory regulatory authority
• preparing a written inspection report for the system owner, and where systems were not compliant, providing details to the relevant state or territory regulatory authority
• providing recommendations to rectify any problems discovered during the inspection and, in particular, how to ensure that any safety or operational problems discovered were rectified, and
• providing the final inspection report to the department.

State and territory governments were responsible for:

• regulation of safety standards for electrical work and matters relating to the design and construction of buildings and structures
• ensuring relevant regulations are enforced, and
• regulation of consumer protection in their jurisdiction.

Working with state and territory authorities, industry and the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator

The department worked with state and territory authorities, industry and ORER during the implementation of the inspection program to ensure there was a consistent approach to the interpretation of Australian Standards and other requirements. Work was also done to ensure correct risk ratings were assigned and appropriate action taken in situations where the Standards and/or other requirements were not met.

The system owner and state and territory authorities responsible for electrical and building safety were notified by inspectors about systems that were non-compliant. Under the inspection program, inspectors were required to comply with relevant state and territory legislation which obliges them, as licensed electricians, to rectify any immediate safety risks. Other rectification work was not covered within the scope of this inspection program.

State and territory governments are responsible for the regulation of safety standards for electrical work, for matters relating to the design and construction of building and structures and regulating consumer protection in their jurisdiction. The department recognised the existing regulatory standards of solar system installations and did not assume this responsibility, as this was, and still is, the responsibility of state and territory governments under law.

Solar Photovoltaic inspection outcomes

Each system inspected was classified as being either compliant with all program requirements and Australian Standards, non-compliant without the need for a system shutdown, or non-compliant with a safety risk requiring a system shutdown.

Non-compliant findings that would result in a system being shut down included: system mounting not properly secured, exposed live wiring, loose connections, water ingress, or the system not being properly earthed.

Non-compliant finding which did not require a system shutdown included:

• photovoltaic modules or inverter not on Clean Energy Council accredited list
• roof penetrations not suitably waterproofed
• wiring not clearly labelled, and
• emergency procedures not permanently affixed to switchboard/meter box.

Until 1 April 2011, two additional issues resulted in a system shutdown: incorrect wiring of the DC isolator, and incorrect rating of the DC isolator. After 1 April 2011, the Department revised the way the DC isolator issue was dealt with following advice from industry – based on assessment by independent electrical experts - that the issue did not warrant a system shutdown. Such findings would still have resulted in a non-compliant outcome being recorded and reported to the system owner and relevant state or territory regulatory authority.

More information on the DC isolator issue is available on the Clean Energy Council's website.

National Solar Schools Program

There were 541 systems funded through the NSSP which were inspected as part of the department's solar photovoltaic inspection program. This represented approximately 27 per cent of the systems which were reported as completed to end August 2011 and were available for inspection at the time the inspection program concluded.

The findings of the inspection program, recognising the classification of DC isolator issues after 1 April 2011 are:

• 226 systems (42 per cent) fully compliant
• 266 systems (49 per cent) not fully compliant, and
• 49 systems (9 per cent) with more significant defects requiring the system to be shut down.

Of the 266 systems not fully compliant, 28 were shutdown in line with the handling of DC isolator issues prior to 1 April 2011.

Solar Homes and Communities Plan

There were 1961 systems funded through SHCP which were inspected as part of the department's solar photovoltaic inspection program. This represented approximately 1.5 per cent of systems funded under the program.

The findings of the inspection program, recognising the classification of DC isolator issues after 1 April 2011 are:

• 943 systems (48 per cent) fully compliant
• 910 systems (46 per cent) not fully compliant, and
• 108 systems (6 per cent) with more significant defects requiring the system to be shutdown.

Of the 910 systems not fully compliant, 256 were shutdown in line with the handling of DC isolator issues prior to 1 April 2011.

The results of inspections did vary between the targeted and random sample, with four per cent of systems inspected through random sampling having more significant faults requiring shutdown, whereas this percentage was closer to seven per cent in the targeted sample.

Action taken on non-compliance

Schools and householders were, and still are, responsible for seeking rectification of non-compliant systems by the installer. Where systems were found to be non-compliant due to more significant defects, systems were immediately shut down by the inspector, as is a requirement of their licensing conditions, pending rectification by the installer. The relevant state or territory regulator was also advised. The state or territory regulator is responsible for taking appropriate action under their legislation and the department is not generally notified of any actions taken.

The department also worked with the Clean Energy Council, as the body responsible for accrediting installers, to address DC isolator issues. The CEC wrote to all accredited installers in December 2010 and again in February 2011 to inform them of the issue. The CEC requested that installers provide written confirmation of system compliance where polarised DC circuit breakers had been used.

More recently, the CEC has written to all accredited installers drawing their attention to the results of the department's solar photovoltaic inspection program and the particular issues identified. In relation to installations funded under the NSSP, installers have been asked to verify that the systems they installed meet all relevant standards. The CEC is also following up directly with those installers whose installations were found to be non-compliant and potentially hazardous.

Future inspections

ORER will deliver an inspection program on behalf of the department for solar photovoltaic systems installed in NSSP-funded government and non-government schools for projects approved in the 2010–11, 2011–12, and 2012–13 funding rounds. Inspections will test compliance with program guidelines and Australian Standards and provide further information to relevant state and territory authorities on the performance of their regulatory regimes.

It is proposed that these inspections will be undertaken on a random sample of installations.

Contact

The Clean Energy Council is responsible for accreditation of solar system installers—phone 1300 763 469.

Issues of installation and product quality, as well as electrical safety, are regulated by state and territory authorities (listed below).

For further details on solar photovoltaic installations and general state or territory regulations, please contact one of the following:

State	Organisation	Address	Postal Address	Phone	Fax
ACT	ACT—Planning & Land Authority	Ground Floor Dame Pattie Menzies House (North Building) 16 Challis Street Dickson ACT 2602	GPO Box 1908 Canberra ACT 2601	(02) 6207 6400	(02) 6207 1640
NSW	Office of Fair Trading	1 Fitzwilliam Street Paramatta NSW 2150	PO Box 972 Paramatta NSW 2124	13 32 20	(02) 9895 0222
NT	NT Worksafe Department of Employment Education and Training	Darwin Plaza 41 Smith Street Darwin NT 0800	GPO Box 4821 Darwin NT 0801	(08) 8999 5081	(08) 8999 5141
QLD	Electrical Safety Office Department of Justice and Attorney-General	Level 16, 50 Ann Street Brisbane QLD 4000	GPO Box 69 Brisbane QLD 4000	(07) 3225 2000	(07) 3237 0229
SA	Office of the Technical Regulator	Level 8 ANZ Building (City Central Tower 1) 11 Waymouth Street Adelaide SA 5000	PO Box 1 Walkerville SA 5081	(08) 8226 5500	(08) 8226 5529
TAS	Electricity Standards & Safety Department of Justice	30 Gordon's Hill Road Rosny Park TAS 7018	PO Box 56 Rosny Park TAS 7018	(03) 6233 7851	(03) 6233 8338
VIC	Energy Safe Victoria	Level 3, Building 2 4 Riverside Quay Southbank VIC 3006	PO Box 262 Collins Street West Melbourne VIC 8007	(03) 9203 9700	(03) 9686 2197
WA	Energy Safety WA	303 Sevenoaks Street Cannington WA 6107	PO Box 135 Cannington WA 6987	(08) 9422 5200	(08) 9422 5244