Suspended installation of photovoltaic panels

Can a PV system be electrically installed?

Guidance exists for electrical installation of PV systems[15, 16, 17] but there is little equivalent guidance for mechanical installation.

Can a cable-supported PV module control wind induced vibration?

A suppression measure is proposed and successfully controls the wind induced vibration. Photovoltaic (PV) modules are mainly mounted on the ground and on roofs. Recently, cable-supported PV modules have been proposed to replace traditional beams using suspension cables to bear the loads of the PV modules.

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.

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.

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.

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: