Photovoltaic panel installation 184 group

To whom is the photovoltaic (PV) guide applicable?

This guide is applicable to Clients planning or undertaking installation of Photovoltaic (PV) systems on ‘Large Scale’ buildings. These buildings are typically owned by organisations from the public or private sector, such as educational establishments, local government, a local community, or commercial organisations.

Should a PV system be isolated before electrical work is performed?

A PV system is an additional source of supply, so both the mains supply and the PV supply must be securely isolated before electrical work is performed on the installation.

Do you need planning permission to install solar panels on your roof?

An increasing number of people are investing in solar energy. More and more homes are having solar panels, or solar tiles, installed on their roofs. Of course, with such installations, the topic of planning permission and building regulations often comes to the surface.

Can a solar PV installation be a 'permitted development'?

A solar PV installation can be classed as 'permitted development' subject to conditions and when not located within a conservation area, AONB or world heritage site. After a number of years exposed to wind, rain, snow, ice and sometimes animals; solar panel systems can start to develop faults.

What is a solar PV installation?

The confusion comes in as a solar PV installation is often much more than electrical work, for example some installations involve major roofing work and other structural changes especially when integrating photovoltaics into a building's fabric. This work goes beyond Part P and electrical installations, we are now talking about building work.

What is a roof mounted photovoltaic system guidance?

The guidance refers only to the mechanical installation of roof mounted integrated and stand-off photovoltaic systems; it provides best practice guidance on installation requirements and does not constitute fixing instructions.