Code disaster averted: ICC able to designate photo voltaic, storage as Danger Class 2

In a launch of preliminary outcomes on the 2024 ICC Constructing Code on-line governmental vote, the Worldwide Code Council’s (ICC) members have permitted two compromise proposals from the Photo voltaic Vitality Industries Affiliation (SEIA) that designate photo voltaic and storage tasks as Danger Class 2 infrastructure.

With out SEIA’s proposals, S79-22 and S81-22, a proposal from the Federal Emergency Administration Administration (FEMA), S76-22, would have required photo voltaic, storage and wind tasks to fulfill Danger Class 4 necessities — essentially the most stringent threat class — which is usually reserved for hospitals, hearth, police and different emergency providers buildings and constructions. SEIA’s permitted proposals present a vital carveout for photo voltaic and storage amenities.

Following is a press release by SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper:

“We’re grateful to the ICC voters for recognizing how impractical it was to incorporate photo voltaic and storage tasks as Danger Class 4. This determination is undoubtedly a victory for clear vitality deployment in the USA after greater than 300 corporations signed a letter urging approval of SEIA’s compromise proposals.

“The acute and overly burdensome code measures that might have been required beneath the FEMA proposal may have stifled clear vitality progress with out bettering grid resilience. The ensuing impact, whether or not supposed or not, would have been a disastrous lower in renewable vitality tasks whereas we aggressively attempt to fulfill essential local weather objectives.

“We are able to’t stress sufficient how essential it’s for clear vitality advocates to proceed lively participation in these codes and requirements boards. The taxpayer-funded course of managed by authorities businesses similar to FEMA to develop constructing codes proposals ought to enable extra collaboration, transparency and participation from stakeholders. On this case, it didn’t embody enter from the day-to-day specialists on actual world financial impacts, electrical energy grid reliability, sustainability and local weather change.

“Collectively, we are able to higher evolve photo voltaic and storage codes and requirements and keep away from any related conditions sooner or later.”