All over Europe, national accreditation bodies work to build confidence in the supply of energy. This year’s World Accreditation Day, on June 9th, will focus on the role that accreditation plays in the energy sector.
The importance of a safe and clean flow of energy can’t be underestimated. Energy is a necessity for our daily tasks and activities. Society is heavily dependent on energy. We all want to keep warm during winter and eat ice-cream in the summer. We want to travel and we can’t live a modern life without laptops, tablets and smart phones (our dear electronic devices are useless when the battery is out of power).
The population will continue to grow, and the number of households and businesses using energy will continue to increase. The hard task is to meet the needs of the world’s current population without negatively impacting future generations. The demand for energy from renewable sources, produced by tidal, wind and solar power plants is constantly growing.
A need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
We face tough challenges though, it is clear after reading the latest report from the IPCC, UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change . According to the report released mid-April 2014 global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) needs to be 40–70% lower in 2050 compared to the 2010 levels. If not, the average temperature will increase more than 2 degrees and the effects of climate change will lead to dramatic consequences; heavy rains, storms, droughts, landslides, rising sea levels and erosion of sea shores. Researchers as well as political leaders say we need to do a lot to avoid all that.
The European Union Emissions Trading System, EU ETS, is the cornerstone of theEuropean Union’s drive to reduce emissions of man-made greenhouse gases
Businesses must monitor and report their EU ETS emissions for each year and the emission report must be checked by a verifier, which is accredited by a National Accreditation Body that has been assessed and approved by EA.
Accreditation plays a central role in the monitoring of GHG emissions.
New and harmonized rules for verification 2013
New rules for the verification of GHG emission reports were introduced in 2013. A regulatory framework for accreditation of verifiers that applies across the EU is in place and the accreditation standard (EN ISO 14065) is harmonized with the EU Regulation (600/2012). The common rules across the EU for accreditation, verification and reporting of GHG emissions, makes the system more effective. A number of verifiers are accredited by national accreditation bodies and can perform tasks in other EU countries as well.
EU Emissions Trading System covers 11,000 installations
EU ETS was introduced in 2005. Each member state is required to implement the directive into national law. EU ETS presently covers about 11,000 installations in the EU, which together account for about 45 percent of total emissions of carbon dioxide. Each facility is assigned a number of emission permits that can be bought and sold. Once a year, the installations must report their emissions. A facility that reduces energy consumption can sell carbon credits on the market for carbon emissions trading. That means an incentive for energy-saving measures.
Accreditation of the verifiers performing verification activities and issuing the verification report to an operator or an aircraft operator ensures a consistent and reliable approach to monitoring of GHG emissions. All National Accreditation Bodies aim to make the industry conducive to the needs of the consumer and the environment.
Accreditation is used in several other areas in the energy sector. Certification of energy management systems to ISO 50001, which is under the supervision of accreditation, can help businesses improve energy-related performance and identify energy reduction opportunities. Certified energy suppliers show that their processes and procedures are appropriate and their environmental credentials are made visible.
About World Accreditation Day 2014
Events, media campaigns, workshops and seminars will take place in over 90 countries to commemorate World Accreditation Day on June 9th. The aim is to raise awareness of the value that accreditation plays. The focus for 2014 is “providing confidence in the provision of energy”. For further details, contact your local accreditation body.
A promotional brochure to celebrate the day is available for download from the ILAC and IAF websites, and a short promotional film is available on the IAF and ILAC Youtube channel .
Examples on accreditation in the energy sector from a handful of European countries
Croatia (HAA)
Testing of crude oil, petroleum products, biofuel and natural gas, as well as verification of GHG emissions data is under accreditation in Croatia.
Denmark (DANAK)
Wind power is an important energy source in Denmark and approximately 30% of the total electricity supply is produced by wind turbines. Wind turbines are certified according to international standards and other technical specifications by accredited certification bodies and wind turbine blades are tested by accredited laboratories.
Ireland (INAB)
Energy management systems certification (ISO 50001) is a growing field in Ireland. It is one of the areas where accreditation plays an important role in the energy sector.
France (COFRAC)
Safety in energy supply (production, storage and transport of high voltage electrical energy, hydrocarbons and gas) and safety, quality and performance of energy distribution are fields for accreditation in France. Accreditation is usually mandatory but sometimes voluntary.
Italy (ACCREDIA)
Inspection for sustainability certification in the building sector is under accreditation in Italy. Energy Experts are certified for energy certification in the building sector, according to regional and national regulations under the EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EED).
Sweden (SWEDAC)
Measuring the energy consumed is crucial for energy producers as well as for consumers. We all need to be assured we are charged for a correct amount. Swedac accredits inspection bodies that tests gauges which, for example, measure electrical energy.