Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 300 - Office of Energy Resources › Chapter 00 - N/A › Subchapter 00 - N/A › Part 3 - Statewide Solar Energy Permit Application (300-RICR-00-00-3) › Section 300-RICR-00-00-3.4 - DEFINITIONS

Current through June 14, 2024
A. As used in these regulations the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
1. "Alternating current" or "AC" means a type of electrical current, the direction of which is reversed at regular intervals or cycles. In the United States, the standard is 120 reversals or 60 cycles per second. Electricity transmission networks use AC because voltage can be controlled with relative ease.
2. "Applicant" means an individual who is applying for a permit to install a solar photovoltaic system.
3. "Commission" means the Rhode Island State Building Code Commission.
4. "Direct current" or "DC" means a type of electricity transmission and distribution by which electricity flows in one direction through the conductor, usually relatively low voltage and high current. To be used for typical 120 volt or 220 volt household appliances, DC must be converted to alternating current, its opposite.
5. "Energy storage" means the capture of energy produced at one time for use at a later time. A device that stores energy is sometimes called an accumulator or battery.
6. "Grid" means a commercial electric power distribution system that takes electricity from a generator (e.g., fossil fuel boiler and generator, diesel generator, wind turbines, water turbine, etc.), transmits it over a certain distance, then takes the electricity down to the consumer through a local distribution system. The entire system is referred to as the grid.
7. "Inverter" means an electronic device or circuitry that changes the DC output of the photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to a utility frequency AC that can be fed into a commercial electrical grid or used by a local, off-grid electrical network.
8. "Module" or "Solar panel" means many solar cells linked together to form a circuit and are mounted in a frame. PV solar panels generate DC electricity, which must then be converted to AC electricity by an inverter because the United States electrical grid uses AC power.
9. "Municipality" means a city or town located in the State of Rhode Island.
10. "Office" means the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources.
11. "One line electrical diagram" means a drawing showing the number of photovoltaic panels with voltage and kilowatt output, the size of the main service panel, and other electrical information related to the project.
12. "Rhode Island professional engineer" means:
a. a person who has been registered and licensed by the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and holds a certificate of registration in the discipline of structural engineering in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws §
												5-8-3(c)(3)  and Section 130.20.3 of the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers "Rules and Regulations for Professional Engineering in the State of Rhode Island"; or
b. a person who received a general professional engineer license in Rhode Island prior to April 1, 1995 and who is eligible to stamp structural design drawings because his or her practice, education and experience are in the field of structural engineering.
13. "Solar photovoltaic system" or "PV system" means an arrangement of several components, including solar modules to absorb and convert sunlight into electricity, a solar inverter to change the electric current from DC to AC, as well as mounting, cabling and other electrical accessories to set up a working system.
14. "Statewide solar energy permit application" means a standard application used by municipalities that covers both the building and electrical permit aspects of solar system installations.
15. "128 project certification form" means the form created in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-27.3-128 et seq. of the Rhode Island Building Code.