Standards Development

RISE and other Australian and international agencies are actively working to develop standards for renewable energy systems and balance of system components. Standards Australia and the International Electrotechnical Commission are actively involved with RISE and the committees working in areas related to renewable energy are:

Standards Australia

• EL-005 - Secondary Batteries
• EL-042 - Renewable Energy Power Supply Systems & Equipment
• EL-048 - Wind Turbine Systems
• EL-001 - Wiring Rules

International Electrotechnical Commission

• TC 4: Hydraulic turbines
• TC 82: Solar photovoltaic energy systems
• TC 88: Wind turbine systems
• TC 105: Fuel cell technologies
• TC 21: Secondary cells and batteries
• TC 64: Electrical installations and protection against electric shock

Current Research Development

RISE is investigating the rating and suitability of components for use within photovoltaic arrays. This investigation stems from work in the Australian standards committee on the AS5033. RISE presented some initial work on DC arcs from photovoltaic arrays and what happens to incorrectly specified circuit breakers in DC circuits. If you have any information related to using circuit breakers in DC applications please contact Hari Sharma.

A "Photovoltaic (PV) Safety, Arcing and Fusing" workshop was held at the University of New South Wales on 26 March 2008.  Presenters at the workshop included Ted Spooner (UNSW), Mike Russell (Clean Energy Council), Geoff Webb (Standards Australia) and Nigel Wilmot. The presentation on “Fusing of PV arrays” highlighted the recent investigation conducted at the RISE test centre into the performance of fuses in relation to PV module characteristics. In a typical PV array, short circuit and earth faults create limited currents which may prevent the fuse from operating and breaking the current. So the correct specification and matching of fuses to the PV array installation is an important issue.

• "Fusing of PV arrays" March 2008 workshop presentation

Testing Videos

• Arcing, fire and other testing - ATRAA 2007 presentation
• Arc testing video - "Producing Arcs from DC Sources and PV Modules." (low speed, high speed)
• DC switching tests video- "AC Switches used for DC or Burning Issues." (low speed, high speed)
• DC switching tests video Part II - "Combined fuse switches are not rated for DC load break" (high speed)
• Testing of polarised DC circuit breakers - "Burning Issues III: Testing of DC circuit breakers at RISE" (high speed)
  

The RISE Annual Standards Report presents a summary of RISE’s involvement during 2008 in the development of standards related to renewable energy systems and components, both in Australia and internationally, via the International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC). It also outlines RISE’s planned involvement in standards development work for 2009.

RISE Contacts

Oscar Arteaga, Test Engineer

Standards Australia EL-042-03 - Grid Connected Systems & Equipment
Standards Australia EL-042-04 - Inverters for Stand-alone Power Systems

Dr Jonathan Whale, Wind Project Officer
Standards Australia EL-048 Wind Turbine Systems, RISE Representative

RISE also has close links with Ted Spooner of UNSW in Sydney in this area of standards development.