Energy and Heat Transfer Standards: November 2025 Releases Shape Renewable Innovation

The November 2025 publication cycle brings a suite of influential updates for the energy and heat transfer engineering sector, introducing five pivotal standards. Spanning tidal energy resource assessment, solar photovoltaic (PV) system vocabulary, hydrogen fuel cell performance testing for rolling stock, and safety testing for high-concentration PV modules, these standards mark major steps toward a safer and more efficient renewable energy future. Industry professionals, compliance managers, engineers, and researchers now have comprehensive frameworks for assessment, deployment, and compliance within this rapidly advancing field.

Overview / Introduction

Energy and heat transfer engineering galvanizes advances in renewable energy, energy infrastructure, and safety—fields where international standards directly drive performance, safety, interoperability, and innovation. For utilities, developers, OEMs, and researchers, alignment with the latest standards underpins safe operation, technical compatibility, and global market access.

In this article—part one of an in-depth two-part review of November 2025’s standardization releases—readers will discover:

• Essential changes for tidal, solar, hydrogen, and fire safety standards
• Compliance obligations and technical details
• Best practices for implementation, and
• Concrete benefits for project success and organizational risk management

Detailed Standards Coverage

IEC TS 62600-201:2025 - Marine Energy: Tidal Resource Assessment

Marine energy - Wave, tidal and other water current converters – Part 201: Tidal energy resource assessment and characterization

IEC TS 62600-201:2025 establishes a uniform methodology to estimate, measure, characterize, and report tidal energy resources in oceanic areas and estuaries—crucial for evaluating and deploying Tidal Energy Converters (TECs). By providing consistent systems for bathymetric surveying, tidal current measurement (mobile and stationary), uncertainty analysis, annual energy calculation, and site classification, it supports every phase of the tidal energy project lifecycle.

The document guides users through feasibility studies, layout and deployment design, development of robust resource models (incorporating bathymetry, river discharge, turbulence, meteorological, and wave climate inputs), and the transparent reporting of Annual Energy Production (AEP) and resource uncertainty. While environmental impacts fall outside its direct remit, the standard encourages users to consult other appropriate documentation for comprehensive project evaluation.

Intended for tidal energy developers, resource assessment consultants, utilities, investors, and regulatory bodies, compliance ensures accurate, repeatable, and transparent resource estimates—essential for investment decisions and yield prediction.

Key highlights:

• Uniform resource assessment and characterization methodology for tidal sites
• Comprehensive data collection, model calibration, and uncertainty evaluation
• Standardized reporting for comparability and investment confidence

Access the full standard:View IEC TS 62600-201:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC TS 61836:2025 - Solar PV Systems: Terms, Definitions, and Symbols

Solar photovoltaic energy systems – Terms, definitions and symbols

The new edition of IEC TS 61836 presents a harmonized, authoritative vocabulary for solar photovoltaic energy systems. This fourth edition focuses on basic PV terms and definitions—chosen for inclusion in the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV)—across six categories: PV cells and modules, other components, systems, performance parameters, testing, and environmental factors.

By standardizing terminology, IEC TS 61836 facilitates clear communication for manufacturers, system designers, certification bodies, research institutions, and procurement specialists globally. The terminology covers everything from “bifacial modules” to “hot spots,” “backsheet,” “bypass diode,” and advanced descriptors such as “building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).”

This standard is vital for contractual clarity, test laboratory consistency, and ensuring that project documentation, quotations, and compliance are unambiguous.

Key highlights:

• 115 carefully curated PV terms for industry-wide adoption
• Basis for test reports, certification, and global regulatory harmonization
• Directly supports alignment with TC 82 standards and IEV

Access the full standard:View IEC TS 61836:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 63341-3:2025 - Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Systems for Rolling Stock: Performance Testing

Railway applications – Hydrogen and fuel cell systems for rolling stock – Part 3: Performance test methods for fuel cell power system

IEC 63341-3:2025 delivers comprehensive methodologies for evaluating the performance of fuel cell power systems (FCPS) used in electrically propelled rail vehicles. It defines rigorous procedures for operating and dynamic tests, polarization curve testing, load profiles, environmental assessments (temperature, altitude, humidity), acoustic emissions, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).

The scope is restricted to electrically powered rolling stock (excluding internal combustion engine/hydrogen hybrids and reformer-equipped systems). It outlines clear test setups, instrumentation requirements, minimum systematic measurement uncertainty, and detailed reporting templates. Hydrogen fuel storage and management systems are covered in the neighboring IEC 63341-2.

Mandatory for rolling stock manufacturers, railway operators, and independent validation test houses, this new international standard ensures uniform assessment of rail FCPS performance—key for market access, regulatory approval, and fleet procurement.

Key highlights:

• Standardized performance test methods for hydrogen FCPS in rail
• Covers stabilized/dynamic operation, environmental, and EMC testing
• Ensures robust, comparable results for safety and performance certification

Access the full standard:View IEC 63341-3:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC TS 63392:2025 - Fire Testing for Concentrator PV Modules

Fire test for concentrator PV modules

IEC TS 63392:2025 introduces a dedicated fire test methodology for concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules rated up to 1500 V DC. It addresses two principal scenarios: external ignition (e.g., from flying embers) and internal ignition (e.g., from hot spots or electrical arcing). The document establishes sampling strategies, apparatus and test configurations, duration and wind conditions, ignition methods, and pass/fail rating criteria. Importantly, it also delineates representative sampling procedures for oversized or prototype modules.

Although certain aspects of CPV rooftop fire safety defer to national codes, this international specification fills a significant standardization gap for manufacturers, certification bodies, installers, and regulatory authorities involved in CPV projects.

Key highlights:

• Distinct tests for external and internal fire scenarios in CPV
• Comprehensive sample preparation and rating criteria
• References harmonized international fire test standards

Access the full standard:View IEC TS 63392:2025 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

Adoption of these newly released standards brings tangible advantages for businesses in the energy and heat transfer engineering sector:

• Enhanced Reliability: Systematic resource assessments, standardized terminology, and harmonized testing protocols support higher project success rates and more reliable performance predictions.
• Regulatory Compliance: Manufacturers, operators, and developers can demonstrate conformity with international best practices, streamlining regulatory approval and market access.
• Risk Mitigation: Transparent testing, reporting, and resource analysis reduce the risk of investment miscalculation, compliance failures, and technical ambiguities.

Compliance considerations and timelines:

• Organizations are encouraged to transition to these new requirements as legacy standards are withdrawn or superseded.
• Early adoption improves project competitiveness and avoids costly redesign or regulatory delays.
• Certification and audit timelines should be coordinated to align with the adoption of these updated frameworks.

Risks of non-compliance:

• Project delays due to regulatory hold-ups
• Increased liability for safety incidents (e.g., fire risks in CPV systems)
• Greater difficulty securing project financing, insurance, or stakeholder confidence

Technical Insights

Across these new standards, several technical requirements and best practices are evident:

• Comprehensive Data Acquisition: Use of advanced surveying (e.g., bathymetry, meteorology, mobile and stationary current measurements) and robust uncertainty analysis is essential for credible energy assessments.
• Clear Technical Vocabulary: Standardized terms preempt misunderstandings in contracts, test reports, and cross-border installations.
• Rigorous Performance Verification: Systematic testing protocols for hydrogen FCPS and PV modules—including performance, environmental, EMC, and safety—ensure real-world reliability.
• Fire Risk Mitigation: New CPV fire testing procedures highlight the necessity for both internal and external ignition scenarios, supporting safer deployment in high-concentration solar installations.

Implementation best practices:

1. Early Familiarization: Equip teams with the latest standard documents and cross-reference related regulatory requirements.
2. Integrated Project Planning: Align resource assessment, system design, testing, and reporting methodologies with the new standards from project inception.
3. Third-party Certification: Engage independent labs early for performance testing and fire safety evaluations.
4. Continuous Monitoring: Stay informed on supplementary standards (e.g., environmental, design load) to address the full project scope.

Testing and certification:

• Laboratories must upgrade protocols and instrumentation to match new measurement uncertainty and report requirements.
• Organizations should plan for possible re-certification of systems or components previously assessed under superseded protocols.

Conclusion / Next Steps

The November 2025 releases for energy and heat transfer engineering provide clear, actionable frameworks for tidal energy projects, solar PV system communications, hydrogen fuel cell validation, and CPV module fire safety. Adhering to these new international standards boosts quality and safety, strengthens regulatory positioning, and fosters innovation.

Recommendations:

• Integrate these standards into procurement specifications, quality assurance plans, and contract documentation as soon as possible.
• Provide staff with training on the new requirements and definitions.
• Follow developments at iTeh Standards for upcoming releases and the concluding second part of this standards update series.

Stay competitive—explore these new standards, boost compliance, and drive your organization’s technical excellence forward.