Green Quality Dialogue

The German Metrology Institute (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, PTB) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) held a dialogue event on the potential of Quality Infrastructure Services for sustainable economic development, with particular focus on Renewable Energies/Energy Efficiency and Climate Change, in the framework of the German Development Cooperation Policy. Over 30 participants with international experience in the field of quality infrastructure for the region of Latin America participated in the event.

The Dialogue was facilitated in two sessions. The first segment was focused on the role of quality infrastructure in renewable energy, and the second on quality assurance and its interrelation with climate change. Each session was assisted by a panel of experts on the topic and followed by an open dialogue with the audience.

The key messages gathered as an outcome of the event:

• Quality assurance is an essential factor for the deployment of renewable energy technologies. However, it needs to be better understood and further promoted to trigger deeper impact and reach all stakeholders.
• The value of high quality products is particularly important for different project stakeholders who are liable for the project performance at different periods during the life cycle of a project.
• Standardisation has been mainly linked to the promotion of trade. However, in the context of the climate change agenda and protection of the environment, the role of quality assurance is of growing in significance as well e.g. for verification methods for GHG.
• Standardisation in this field is implemented by a large number of actors, e.g. UNFCCC, ISO, IEC and many private actors. Harmonisation is needed in order to become more effective.
• Necessary and beneficial quality assurance services need to be sensitively coordinated with regulations and requirements in order not to exclude economically disadvantaged stakeholders, who may not have the financial means to support costly quality assurance services.

See the event agenda

Read a summary report of the event

Presentations