November 2025: New Standards Advance Energy and Heat Transfer Engineering

November 2025 sees the release of five pivotal international standards transforming how professionals approach energy generation, heat transfer, and safety in engineering applications. Covering solar photovoltaic systems, fuel cell technology, and shell boilers, this comprehensive overview details the latest specifications, compliance requirements, technical innovations, and real-world implications for organizations operating in the fast-evolving energy and heat transfer sector.

Overview

The field of energy and heat transfer engineering underpins the world’s infrastructure, from power generation and distributed energy systems to industrial process heating and building efficiency. In this highly regulated and rapidly innovating sector, standards ensure:

• Safety and reliability for personnel and end-users
• Efficient integration of new technologies
• Compatibility and interoperability between equipment
• Environmental compliance and sustainability
• Consistent quality across diverse markets

This article—Part 2 of our November 2025 coverage—guides industry professionals through the latest standardization updates shaping engineering best practices. Readers will gain actionable insights into:

• Major updates to technical requirements
• Implementation advice and compliance timelines
• Key changes from previous editions
• How to access and apply the full standards

Detailed Standards Coverage

FprHD 60364-7-712:2025 – Solar Photovoltaic Power Supply Installations

Low-voltage electrical installations – Part 7-712: Requirements for special installations or locations – Solar photovoltaic (PV) power supply installations

This standard sets comprehensive requirements for the electrical installation of solar PV power supply systems, covering everything from module configuration to the connection with distribution boards or utility supply points. By incorporating the latest best practices, technological advances, and safety innovations since the previous 2017 edition, it ensures PV system installations are robust, efficient, and safe—even as the industry transitions to more complex systems and DC-coupled battery storage solutions.

Key requirements include:

• Automatic disconnection for protection against electric shock
• Double or reinforced insulation on all live parts
• Detailed provisions for thermal protection and fire prevention (including fault detection on the DC side)
• Comprehensive guidelines for overcurrent, overload, and short-circuit protection (including coordination with PV array cables)
• Selection and erection of equipment, safety marking, labeling, and documentation
• Risk assessment and mitigation for transient overvoltages and electromagnetic disturbances

Who needs to comply:

• Electrical contractors and installers of PV systems
• Engineering firms and EPC contractors
• Facility managers with on-site solar installations
• Utility and microgrid operators deploying PV and energy storage

Practical implications:

• Improved reliability and minimization of downtime
• Enhanced system safety, reducing fire and shock incidents
• Clearer documentation and labeling for easier maintenance and inspections

Notable changes:

• Revised technical content, expanded coverage, and experience-driven requirements
• New rules for battery system connections and island mode operation
• Introduction of DC bus circuits and Direct Current Units (DCUs) to support modern plant architectures

Key highlights:

• Enhanced protections for PV and storage integration
• Expanded safety and documentation requirements
• Broader risk mitigation for overvoltages and electromagnetic compatibility

Access the full standard:View FprHD 60364-7-712:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN IEC 62282-3-200:2025 – Stationary Fuel Cell Power Systems: Performance Test Methods

Fuel cell technologies – Part 3-200: Stationary fuel cell power systems – Performance test methods

This international standard defines performance testing methods for large stationary fuel cell power systems, focusing on their operational efficiency, output, and environmental impact. It applies to all fuel cell technologies, including alkaline, phosphoric acid, polymer electrolyte, molten carbonate, and solid oxide types—ensuring a harmonized approach for manufacturers and operators of diverse stationary power systems.

Core areas covered:

• Power output measurements under operating and transient states
• Electrical and heat recovery efficiency calculations
• Exhaust gas emission and noise assessment for environmental compliance
• Rigorous test plans, instrument specifications, and minimum measurement uncertainties
• Start-up and shutdown characteristics for operational resilience
• Response testing for both electric and thermal output

Who must comply:

• Fuel cell system manufacturers (OEMs)
• Power plant operators and energy utilities
• EPC firms and R&D labs

Practical implications:

• Reliable benchmarking for technology procurement and evaluation
• Valid data for regulatory and incentive program submissions
• Meaningful environmental impact evidence for permitting and public reporting

Significant 2025 changes:

• New efficiency testing, updated power and thermal response protocols
• Clarifications to symbols, diagrams, and measurement methods
• Revised procedures for start-up and shutdown

Key highlights:

• Unified performance metrics for all stationary fuel cell systems
• Expanded environmental assessment including noise and exhaust emissions
• Optimized reliability and repeatability in laboratory and field testing

Access the full standard:View EN IEC 62282-3-200:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN IEC 62282-3-201:2025 – Performance Tests for Small Stationary Fuel Cell Power Systems

Fuel cell technologies – Part 3-201: Stationary fuel cell power systems – Performance test methods for small fuel cell power systems

Targeting small fuel cell systems with electric power outputs below 10 kW, this standard specifies laboratory-based testing procedures for evaluating electrical, thermal, and environmental performance. It addresses grid-connected and stand-alone units, including those operating on gaseous (e.g., hydrogen, natural gas) or liquid (e.g., methanol, kerosene) fuels.

Coverage includes:

• Type tests for electric output, heat recovery, fuel consumption, and storage state
• Methods for ramp-up, ramp-down, and controlled shutdown
• Efficiency calculations for both electrical conversion and heat recovery modes
• EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) testing for compliance with residential, commercial, and light-industrial environments

Who needs to comply:

• Small fuel cell system manufacturers
• Building managers using on-site power generation
• Test labs, certification bodies, and design engineers

Practical implications:

• Consistent product qualification for new market entries
• Facilitation of grid interconnection and distributed generation projects
• Translation of lab performance into field deployment confidence

2025 updates:

• Revisions to measurement accuracy, data acquisition, and instrumentation specs
• Enhanced guidelines for operation, shutdown/start-up routines, and calculation of efficiencies
• Improved harmonization with EMC requirements

Key highlights:

• Standardized type testing, not setting performance targets but ensuring comparable measurements
• New provisions for EMC performance and long-term efficiency estimations
• Expanded test coverage and improved test repeatability for certification

Access the full standard:View EN IEC 62282-3-201:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 12953-1:2025 – Shell Boilers: General

Shell boilers – Part 1: General

This foundational standard outlines the general scope, definitions, and requirements for shell boilers (large volume boilers, typically generating steam or hot water at pressures beyond 0.5 bar and temperatures over 110 °C). It applies to fixed installation, fire-tube (as opposed to water-tube), and encompasses the complete pressurized system, including superheaters, economizers, and related piping up to the nearest valve or weld.

Key requirements include:

• Detailed scope and definitions for manufacturers, installers, and users
• Requirements for all pressure parts from feedwater or hot water inlet to outlet
• Exclusions for water-tube, locomotive, thermal oil, cast material, and certain other boiler types
• Listing of applicable standards for adjacent processes such as design, material selection, workmanship, inspection, safety, and operation

Who should comply:

• Boiler manufacturers, pressure vessel fabricators
• EPC and construction firms delivering turnkey energy and industrial facilities
• Plant owners and operators responsible for steam and hot water generation

Implementation:

• Defines scope for safe boiler design and identification of applicable further standards
• Improves interoperability and streamlines regulatory certification

2025 revision highlights:

• Alignment with updated EU Pressure Equipment Directive (PED 2014/68/EU)
• Expanded definitions, updated coverage of typical components, and technical clarifications
• Integration with dedicated parts covering design, inspection, equipment, safety, and operation

Key highlights:

• Universal reference for the shell boiler lifecycle
• Clear boundaries and terminology for global harmonization
• Improved guidance for legal and operational conformity

Access the full standard:View EN 12953-1:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 12953-2:2025 – Shell Boilers: Materials for Pressure Parts

Shell boilers – Part 2: Materials for pressure parts of boilers and accessories

This standard delineates the specific material requirements for shell boiler pressure parts, including:

• Plates, tubes, forgings, and castings
• Bolting materials and welding consumables

It ensures the use of harmonized European materials, European Approvals for Materials (EAM), or Particular Material Appraisals (PMA), underlining the necessity of full traceability and suitability for pressure containment and service environment. Material lists, certificates, and inspection requirements are integral to compliance.

Applicable to:

• Boiler manufacturers and fabrication shops
• Material suppliers, stockists, and procurement teams
• Inspection bodies and notified regulatory authorities

Practical impact:

• Promotes structural safety and long-term reliability
• Establishes consistent documentation for PED and third-party inspection
• Facilitates supply chain alignment and materials verification

2025 enhancements:

• Expanded eligible material grades and updated harmonized standards
• New requirements for inspection documentation and traceability
• Improved provisions for non-standard or infrequently used materials via PMA

Key highlights:

• Harmonized material lists for easier sourcing and specification
• Rigorous traceability and marking requirements
• Accommodation for both standard and novel material solutions

Access the full standard:View EN 12953-2:2025 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

The November 2025 standards suite reshapes operational and compliance landscapes for organizations working with solar PV, fuel cell systems, and shell boilers. Key business impacts include:

• Mandatory adoption timelines: Updated standards quickly become baseline for statutory approvals and market access, especially in Europe (Pressure Equipment Directive, EMC, environmental permits).
• Reduced risk: Enhanced safety features, modern performance testing, and detailed documentation requirements collectively reduce system failures, downtime, and regulatory fines.
• Future-proofing investments: Companies deploying PV systems, fuel cells, or shell boilers can plan expansions and upgrades with confidence, knowing that equipment and processes are adapted to the very latest requirements.
• Competitive advantage: Early compliers gain lead time for certification, market trust, and eligibility for public contracts or incentives tied to best-in-class standards.

Risks of non-compliance:

• Loss of CE marking or regulatory approval
• Ineligibility for insurance and warranties
• Operational disruptions due to unaddressed safety or performance issues
• Higher liability exposure in case of incidents

Technical Insights

Across the new standards, several technical themes and best practices emerge:

• Emphasis on measurement and quality assurance: Detailed requirements for calibration, data acquisition, and minimum uncertainty enhance test repeatability and reliability.
• Clear scope definitions: From system boundaries in boiler standards to precise test conditions for fuel cells, clarity prevents misapplication and facilitates cross-border commerce.
• Advanced protection systems: Automatic disconnection, overcurrent coordination, DC fault protection, and electromagnetic compatibility measures reflect the complexity of modern electrical/thermal systems.
• Documentation and labeling: Safety marking, isolation labeling, and compliant documentation are strengthened—critical for lifecycle management.
• Focus on environmental and sustainability metrics: Fuel cell emissions, noise, and heat recovery are now core performance indicators.

Best practices for implementation:

1. Conduct a gap analysis comparing existing practices to new requirements.
2. Update procurement specifications and design documentation.
3. Train installation, commissioning, and maintenance teams on revised standards.
4. Schedule re-certification or independent assessment as appropriate.
5. Document compliance for audits and regulatory checks.

Testing and certification:

• Involve certified labs and notified bodies early in the process.
• Maintain full traceability of measurements, calibration records, and material certificates.
• Periodically review standards for updates tied to evolving technology and regulation.

Conclusion / Next Steps

The November 2025 batch of international standards in energy and heat transfer engineering sets new performance, safety, and reliability benchmarks for solar photovoltaic installations, stationary fuel cell power systems, and shell boiler technology. Proactive adoption ensures:

• Legal and contractual compliance
• Enhanced system safety and reliability
• Strong positioning in a competitive, innovation-driven marketplace

Recommendations for organizations:

• Review each relevant standard in detail to determine specific impacts
• Update procedures, specifications, and documentation as needed
• Engage with certification bodies and technical consultants as required
• Monitor for future updates or amendments to maintain best-in-class status

Ready to implement the latest standards? Explore all new releases for Energy and Heat Transfer Engineering on iTeh Standards

Stay informed, stay compliant, and turn standards into your competitive advantage with iTeh Standards.