Solar PV Interconnection
CSI Division 26, Electrical
The process and equipment required to connect a building's solar photovoltaic system to the local electric utility's grid, governed by a formal interconnection agreement with the utility and requiring specific equipment, such as an inverter with anti-islanding protection, that automatically disconnects the solar system from the grid during a utility outage to protect utility workers.
Why it matters
A solar system that keeps feeding power into the grid during a utility outage, rather than automatically disconnecting, creates a genuine hazard for utility line workers who reasonably expect a de-energized line during an outage, which is exactly why anti-islanding protection is a code and utility requirement, not an optional feature.
On a real project
A commercial building's solar installer submits an interconnection application to the local utility before construction begins, since utility review and approval of the interconnection agreement can take longer than the solar installation itself.
Who this matters most to
A Solar PV Installer installs the system and its interconnection equipment. A Renewable Energy Project Manager manages the utility interconnection application and approval process, which often has to start well before construction.
Where this goes wrong
A solar installer completes a system's physical installation without submitting the utility interconnection application until construction is essentially finished. The utility's review and approval process takes several additional months, and the system sits fully built but unable to legally operate while the owner waits on the interconnection agreement.