According to 515 / 2023 Ordinance from Inmetro (National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology), the inverters approved by the agency in Brazil – above 120 V and short-circuit current of up to 20 A – must have arc protection devices from 01/12/2024.
Therefore, from that date onwards, for inverters to be approved by Inmetro and sold on the Brazilian market, it will be essential that they are equipped with an electric arc protection device.
So with the deadline coming to an end, the Canal Solar spoke with inverter manufacturers who presented their strategic plans to adapt to the standard and meet the deadline.
According to Fábio Bortoletto, an engineer at TBEA, the company carried out a detailed analysis of the Ordinance’s requirements. “We have allocated significant resources to R&D (research and development) to integrate AFCI technology into our photovoltaic inverters.”
“In addition, we carry out extensive testing in Inmetro-accredited laboratories to ensure compliance with the new standards and we have modernized the entire product line to incorporate the latest technological innovations,” he highlighted.
Bortoletto also assured that all photovoltaic equipment will comply with the Ordinance within the established deadline. “With these actions, TBEA reaffirms its commitment to safety, innovation and regulatory compliance, strengthening its position in the solar energy market.”
Solinteg, for example, emphasized that the R&D team has been working hard in recent months to deliver AFCI technology to Brazilian consumers that meets the standards of excellence in delivering inverters for the photovoltaic market.
“We are present in several countries – always seeking to meet all international and regional requirements – so that the purchasing experience of our products is always ed, not only by reliable technology but also by the best design”, said Carlos Trotta, Sales Director for the Americas at Solinteg.
Silvio Robusti, Product Marketing Manager at Growatt Brasil, stated that the company has just incorporated AFCI technology into its entire on-grid product line, with emphasis on the X2 family.
“This innovation reinforces our commitment to the safety and efficiency of solutions, meeting Brazilian standards for protection in photovoltaic systems. The implementation of AFCI in Growatt inverters is composed of a combination of advanced hardware and software, designed to ensure faster and more accurate detection of arc faults than conventional systems,” he highlighted.
“The latest generation hardware works in conjunction with dedicated software that interprets the signals captured by the MPPTs, which are responsible for monitoring energy production. This intelligent system minimizes the risk of ‘false alarms’, avoiding unnecessary shutdown of the photovoltaic plant,” explained Robusti.
Arc flash analysis according to IEEE 1584-2018 standard
“The readjustment process takes time”
Regarding SolaX, The company stated that the X1-SPT and A1 inverters have already been approved, and the others are in the final testing phase for approval. “Most of the equipment already had the optional AFCI, but it was an AFCI model that did not comply with Ordinance 515. The AFCI model that SolaX had was based on UL 1699 and the one in the Inmetro Ordinance is based on IEC 63027.”
“So, due to this difference in standards, we had to start a process of readjusting the products, and this naturally takes some time – even to understand that this change within the internal components of the inverters will not affect their operation as a whole. That is why this process is a little time-consuming”, reported Gilberto Camargos, executive director of SolaX Power in Brazil.
According to him, the company began the process more than six months ago, and some products already have the new approval. “We probably won’t be able to adapt all products until the Ordinance comes into effect, and from what we’ve seen, almost the entire market won’t be able to do so.”
“In addition, there is another factor that is a little more critical than having all the right inverters: it is the 'sea' of inverters that are on the 'ground' in Brazil – which do not have AFCI – and we do not know how they will be sold”, he added.
Will inverters without AFCI be available for sale after December 1st?
Therefore, in Camargos' view, this is a barrier that many manufacturers, who have overstocked products in Brazil, will have to face. "We believe that this could create a problem in the market, as many distributors with this equipment will probably be inhibited from selling."
“In fact, some manufacturers have several pieces of equipment stored in Brazil – which have not yet been sold to distributors – and will face the challenge of getting rid of these products. I personally believe that the ideal would be to request an extension of this deadline from Inmetro – especially because this could generate an economic problem for the entire sector”, concluded the executive director.
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