Code Change Summary: New code section added to address PV equipment floating on bodies of water.

Some cities and towns are situated in an area mostly surrounded by water and looking for creative ways to make use of the real estate.

In the 2023 NEC^®, a new section was added to provide requirements for installations of PV system equipment floating on a body of water. New Section 690.4(G) permits PV equipment where floating on, or attached to structures floating on bodies of water. The PV equipment shall be identified as being suitable for the purpose and shall utilize wiring methods that will allow for any expected movement of the equipment.

PV equipment installed on floating structures can be exposed to unique environmental and mechanical conditions. The requirement above that the PV equipment must be “identified” as suitable for the purpose puts to good use the Article 100 definition of “Identified (as applied to equipment): Recognizable as suitable for the specific purpose, function, use, environment, application, and so forth, where described in a particular Code requirement.

Since there are no current product safety standards directly addressing listing (certification) of PV equipment floating on a body of water, the new code language falls short of requiring such equipment to be listed for the purpose.

The new informational note informs the code reader that PV equipment in these installations is often subject to increased levels of humidity, corrosion, and mechanical and structural stress.  The expected movement of floating PV arrays is often included in the structural design.

For these PV systems, all other applicable requirements in Article 690 would still be required.

Below is a preview of the NEC^®. See the actual NEC^® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2023 NEC^® edition of NFPA 70.