What formalities do I need to comply with when installing solar panels?

If you want to install solar panels, you’re required to comply with a number of formalities. In some cases an urban development permit will be needed, the solar panel system must be subjected to a technical inspection and you must register the system with the grid operator. We will briefly explain these formalities. 

• If necessary, apply for an urban development permit. 
  

First check with your municipal or city authorities whether you need a permit to install solar panels. You are exempt from this requirement if you meet a number of conditions. If you don’t, you will need to apply for a permit first. It requires some effort and you don’t know upfront whether you’ll actually be granted the permit. 

• Have your solar panel system subjected to a technical inspection. 
  

After installation and before commissioning, you must have the solar panel system inspected by an approved inspector to make sure that all components have been installed correctly and that you can safely start the panels and connect them to the grid. A poorly functioning system can pose a danger to yourself, your home and the grid. 

In virtually all cases the solar panel installer will arrange for the inspection, which involves going through a number of administrative issues and performing a few visual checks, measurements and tests. You will then be given an inspection report containing the findings of the inspection. A solar panel system that has not been approved may not be started. 

Once your system has been approved, you are required to provide your grid operator with a copy of the inspection report upon registering your system. The grid operator is the body responsible for the transport of electricity, so this is not your energy supplier. In Flanders, grid operators are associated with the umbrella organisation ‘Fluvius’.

• Register your solar panels with the grid operator. 
  

Once your solar panels have been inspected and approved, the commissioning of a system with an inverter capacity of 10 kVA or less must be reported to the grid operator within 30 days of the inspection to ensure that the grid operator knows where solar energy is injected into the grid. 

Registration is mandatory, even if the system is not permanently connected to the grid. If you fail to register your system, you run the risk of being fined and being disconnected from the distribution grid. Although you are responsible for registering your solar panels, the installer is required to provide you with the documents you need.