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Alternative Generation Safety
 

Renewable Generation Safety

Any system that produces even small amounts of electricity can be potentially dangerous, creating the possibility of electrocution and fire hazards.  Improperly installed systems will create serious safety hazards to property owners, their friends, family, employees and local electrical distribution company workers.

Before installing any type of distributed generation, whether it is stand-alone or connected to the grid, it is important to understand the safety requirements.  The safety regulations, the codes and the associated safety technical standards can be confusing and difficult to understand.  The below guideline is intended to simplify and provide basic advice to home, farm and business owners who are considering the installation of distributed generation systems. Please click on the PDF below to review the guideline.

Electrical Guidelines for Inverter-Based Micro Generation Facilities April 2010
Notice: Inverters Approval

In the previous edition of the guideline for inverter-based micro-generating facility 10 kW and smaller (ESA SPEC-004), inverters certified to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standard, UL1741, were accepted because of the limited availability of inverters certified to the CSA standard. As inverters certified to CSA standard are now widely available, inverters certified only to UL standard, UL1741 will not be accepted as of January 1st 2011. After, January 1st, 2011 inverters are required to be certified to CSA standard C22.2 #107.1 and bear a certification mark recognized in Ontario. Field Evaluation shall not be accepted for utility-interconnected inverters. Inverters marked as "UTILITY-INTERCONNECTED" or equivalent shall only bear a certification mark, not a field evaluation mark.

  • For more information refer to Bulletin 84-1-*
  • For more information about product approval, certification and field evaluation marks, refer to Bulletin 2-7-*. Page 2

PV wire or cable approved to UL standards

In Ontario, in addition to cables permitted by OESC, PV cables approved to UL Standard, UL 4703 Outline of Investigation for Photovoltaic Wire is an acceptable wiring method within a PV array.

PV cables approved to UL Standard UL 4703 have the following characteristics:

  • Voltage Rating: 600 V, 1000 V and 2000 V
  • Temperature Rating: 90°C wet and 90, 105, 125 or 150°C dry
  • Number of conductors: single, insulated, stranded copper conductor, size 18 – 4/0 AWG
  • Sunlight resistant and marked as “Sunlight Resistant” or “Sun Res”.
  • Marked as “PV Wire, PV cable, Photovoltaic Wire or Photovoltaic Cable”.

Rationale
PV cables certified to UL Standard UL 4703 are designed for rooftops tough environments, often subject to snow, ice and scorching heat. Cables marked as “PV Wire, PV cable, Photovoltaic Wire or Photovoltaic Cable” have 30°C higher temperature rating compared with extra-hard usage outdoor flexible cords and with the option to even withstand 150°C. There is no equivalent CSA standard for PV cables. The Photo B1 shows typical construction details for PV cable.

Operational Guidelines for Field Evaluation New Inspection Schedules

Green Energy Act & Renewable Energy

The Green Energy Act was introduced on May 14,2009 by the Ontario Government. The historic Green Energy Act, is intended to attract new investment, create new green economy jobs and better protect the environment.

Once in force, the Green Energy and Green Economy Act (GEA), as well as complimentary policy and regulations, will provide the government with the necessary tools to ensure Ontario's place as North America's renewable energy leader, and to create a culture of conservation, assisting homeowners, government, schools and industry in embracing lower energy use.

The Feed In Tariff program is offered by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) to offer home, farm and small business owners who are considering the installation of alternative forms of electricity generation such as solar and wind and connecting them to run parallel with the Local Distribution Company (LDC).

The Electrical Safety Authority plans to participate in many areas of the GEA and initially will play a role in the Feed-In Tariff program.


What is the Feed- In Tariff Program & Renewable Energy

The Feed-In Tariff (Less than 10KW) Program is administered by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA). Please see OPA website for rate information.

Two Types of Renewable Energy Installations

• The two types are:

  1. Project Generation Capacity (Less than 10KW) is called microFIT.
  2. Project Generation Capacity (Greater than 10KW) is called FIT.

• A Feed-In Tariff refers to the specific prices paid to renewable energy suppliers for the electricity produced by the generating facility.

• The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is the final step in the Feed-in Tariff program. ESA is responsible for ensuring that the requirements of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC) are met and that all electrical installations meet the requirements of the Code.

How do I participate in the Feed In Tariff Program?

There are three main steps to participating in the Feed-In Tariff program.

  1. Contact the Ontario Power Authority at www.powerauthority.on.ca for program requirements and other agencies you should contact and application form.
  2. Contact the Local Distribution Company to learn the specific requirements regarding the connection report.
  3. Contact the Electrical Safety Authority to ensure your installation meets the requirements of the OESC, and to arrange for an electrical inspection to allow you to connect to the local distribution system
Click here for more information on how to apply for an electrical inspection

Applying for an Electrical Inspection

Before your solar, wind or other renewable energy generator can be connected to the electrical system it must be inspected and approved by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). The OESC requires an application for Inspection to be submitted by the contractor doing the work. ESA recommends that all electrical work be done by a qualified electrical contractor/electrician. Installing an alternative generation system is beyond the ability of most do it yourself projects.

Once the installation is complete and meets the requirements of the OESC a connection authorization will be sent by the ESA to the Local Distribution Company.

New Renewable Energy Application Renewable Energy Application
New Renewable Energy Application Renewable Energy Application

FAQ’s About Electrical Inspection

1. Why do I need to have an Inspection?
The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is responsible for enforcing the requirements of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code. The Code requires that all electrical installations must be inspected and approved by ESA.

2. How to apply for an electrical inspection?

  1. If you are using a Licensed Electrical Contractor or Photovoltaic Installer (PV) you need to have them apply.
  2. If you are doing the work yourself click on the link below for more information on applying for an electrical inspection or contact our Customer Service Centre at 1-877-372-7233.

How to arrange for an Electrical Inspection

3. What are the fees for electrical inspection?
These are the fees for systems with a generation capacity of 10 kW or less; installations greater than 10 kW are itemized based on the components.

  1. $250.00 - if installed by a Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC)
  2. $400.00 Ð if installed by the property owner
  3. If the installation involves the services of an unlicensed PV installer and an LEC (for the branch wiring) the fee is $250 for the PV installer plus $250 for the LEC

4. What happens if my inspection does not pass?

  1. If you have hired a Licensed Electrical Contractor: This individual will be responsible for ensuring that all deficiencies have been corrected.
  2. If you have done the work yourself. You will be responsible for correcting any outstanding deficiencies before the connection authorization can be sent to the local distribution company.

Once the installation is complete and meets the requirements of the OESC a connection authorization will be sent to the Local Distribution Company.



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Electrical Safety Alert
Renewable Generation Safety