Photovoltaic panel guide trough construction

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.

What guidance is there on the performance of PV systems?

The Good Practice Guide provides some guidance on the performance of PV systems in Section 4 of the updated PV Installers Guide. The PV Specialist should model the system using one of the software simulation programmes available, which have a ‘library’ of modules and inverters and can select the sunlight conditions most representative of the site.

Can a PV system be integrated into a flat roof?

In some cases, PV systems can be integrated directly into flat roofs (Figure 25), although this is not common because the efficiency of PV modules is reduced because the optimum angle relative to the sun is not achieved.

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.

Are there any UK standards relating to a PV installation?

While many UK standards apply in general terms, at the time of writing there is still relatively little which specifically relates to a PV installation. However, there are two documents which specifically relate to the installation of these systems that are of particular relevance:

What is the best practice guide for PV?

The ‘Photovoltaics in Buildings - Guide to the installation of PV systems, 2nd edition’ is the main best practice guide for installing PV systems. It references many documents in the 'Engineering Recommendation G59/1', which is the Electricity Industry Recommendation for connecting large generators. LSBIPV – Col umba Centre, Islay