Technical update

2022 prOMiSES TO BE A BUMpEr YEAr FOr OUr MEMBErS, WiTH rECOrD iNFrASTrUCTUrE SpENDiNG FOrECAST iN A NUMBEr OF STATES. WE’VE prOViDED A SUMMArY OF WHAT NECA HAS rECENTlY BEEN WOrKiNG ON FOr OUr MEMBErS AND WHAT liES AHEAD.

AS/NZS 4777.2 direct current (DC) isolator compliance deadline extended

in December 2021 NECA teamed up with other industry bodies to lobby state and federal governments, asking that the December deadline for the new testing requirements for DC isolators be extended. in a win for our members, the Electrical regulatory Authorities Council (ErAC) advised that the requirement for DC isolators to be certified, where they are incorporated in inverters complying with AS/NZS 4777.2:2020, has been extended to 30 June 2022.

This extension acknowledges the challenges manufacturers and suppliers are having with obtaining DC isolator products, including those installed within inverters, certified to AS 60947.3. The current status of approved test labs with accreditation to carry out the required tests has not yet been settled. it is important to note that from 18 December 2021, all inverters installed must comply with all other requirements of AS/NZS 4777, and manufacturers will need to provide installers with a Statement of Conformance for all their inverters. This statement is also required to allow manufacturers to register their inverters on the Clean Energy Council’s (CEC) approved list. it is also important that any statespecific requirements are adhered to for all solar installation work.

During this extension period, inverters complying with AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 may be sold or installed whether or not the DC isolator within the inverter is certified, unless specific safety issues are identified.

AS/NZS 5033:2021 published

The peak standard for photovoltaic (pV) arrays, AS/NZS 5033 was published in November 2021. The standard revision aims to provide clear and relevant guidance to support safe systems and practices for industry professionals and consumers. The standard has been restructured to promote better readability and provide methods to improve installation safety.

Some of the changes include:

½ options related to rooftop isolators; ½ DC cable routing and installation requirements; ½ earthing requirements; ½ an increase in maximum pV array voltage for residential systems; ½ changes to DC optimiser and microinverter requirements; and ½ updated testing and verification requirements.

One change that is in conflict with AS/NZS 4777.1, is the voltage limit for domestic installations. Therefore, until these standards are amended to align, the lower of the two voltages, 600 Volts DC, will apply.

AS/NZS 3000 amendments are out for public comment

Standards Australia have released Amendment 3 of the Wiring rules for public comment. Whilst the proposed amendments appear minor in nature, there are some considerations members need to understand. The amendments are:

½ removal of references to AS/NZS 3439.

This removal will mean that any new switchboard that is either greater than 125 amps or has a fault rating of greater than 10 kA will need to comply with the new AS/NZS 61439

Switchboard Standard. This compliance will also extend to altered or upgraded switchboards, meaning existing switchboards will need to be assessed for compliance before any alteration or upgrade is carried out. ½ Update on the routine amendment of other Australian Standards publications as references.

public comments closed on 28 March 2022.

Changes to the Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) effective from 1 April 2022 for solar PV installers

The Federal Government has undertaken a review of the rooftop solar pV sector and has introduced a number of changes, much of which will provide a range of greater powers to the Clean Energy regulator. Of particular note to NECA members is that the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment (Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme Reforms and Other Measures) Regulations 2021 were approved in December 2021, with a range of mandated conditions for creating small-scale technology certificates (STCs) commencing at different times from 1 January 2022. While the changes will be phased in over the next 12 months, the immediate changes, commencing from 1 April 2022, that installers need to be aware of are:

½ The installer who installed the unit, or supervised the installation, must be an eligible accredited installer under the SrES scheme and they must be on site during the installation. ½ The installer is required to provide evidence of being on site during the installation, such as photographic evidence (with time and date metadata or geo-location data), at set-up, mid- installation, and at commissioning. ½ The installation must comply with all local, state or territory laws, relating to electrical wiring and safety. ½ The installer must provide a written statement to the person eligible to create STCs that confirms the following: ½ These legal requirements (above) have been met. ½ The installer has a copy of the design of the system and the system has been installed in accordance with that design. The design may be the size, layout and components that comprise the system that was agreed with the solar pV retail company at the time the contract was agreed, or the order was made.

½ The installer has a copy of the contract or quote, which was the basis on which the owner purchased the system, and states that the system will perform in accordance with that contract or quote. ½ The solar pV module used in the installation, and any inverter that is included with the installation, was on the list of approved modules and inverters at the time of installation (and was not otherwise excluded).

The onus is on the installer to:

½ ensure that the pV module and inverter comply with the requirements for STC eligibility and electrical safety; and ½ provide the person entitled to create STCs for the system with confirmation that: ½ the system is eligible for STCs; ½ complies with electrical safety requirements; and ½ has been installed in accordance with the consumer’s expectations outlined in the sales contract or quote.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in the ACT

The ACT Government has announced that a minimum energy efficiency standard for rental homes around ceiling insulation will be introduced in the territory. NECA has been advocating that any ceiling insulation installation must first be checked for safety by qualified electrical contractors to ensure there are no fire or electric shock hazards present, and that the wiring capacity is not compromised by installing ceiling insulation. This new standard won’t come into effect until the middle of 2022, and will have a phase-in period of several years to give rental providers plenty of time to make any necessary upgrades in their properties.

Accredited Service Provider (ASP) Scheme Review in NSW

The Department of planning, industry and Environment (DpiE) has recently released a position paper for the next steps on the revised ASp Scheme in NSW. The paper provides the preferred options for the changes to the scheme, and asks for feedback on the changes based on what members deem as of high/moderate and low importance to them. The position paper is broken up into three main areas: ½ customer service; ½ the scope of the ASp Scheme; and ½ the regulatory framework.

NECA has been at the forefront throughout this consultation journey with DpiE and continues to work with our ASp members to advocate for their best interests.

Paul Brownlee

NECA National Policy & Technical Director