General


Quality Infrastructure for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Latin America and the Caribbean
In Latin America and the Caribbean, interest in energy efficiency and renewable energy (R3E) is constantly growing. The effective implementation of the national development plans and energy policies requires the institutions of a national quality infrastructure (QI) to be functioning efficiently and to offer metrology, testing, standardization, accreditation and certification capabilities. Measuring energy quantities reliably, testing and certifying power production facilities and accrediting testing laboratories for the determination of the energy consumption of electrical appliances are only a few examples of the required services. Establishing these technical requirements and harmonising criteria and their application have a positive influence on the national and regional trade with energy and with energy-efficient electrical appliances, since they contribute to increasing market transparency, the quality of the traded products and to reducing export costs.
Data
The volume of the project amounts to 3 million EUR (2016-2020). The target group of the project are the consumers of electrical energy and the users of equipment producing electricity from renewable energy sources – especially private households and SMEs. The intermediaries are the regional and national QI institutions, as well as the regulatory authorities and the electric utilities. Modes of delivery for the support measures are the provision of short term experts for subject-related, organizational and process consultation measures, e.g., to support harmonization processes as well as training measures, seminars and exchange of experience for employees of regional and national QI institutions in the fields of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.
Background
The development of national accreditation bodies, metrology and standardization institutes in Latin America and the Caribbean is supported by Pan-American umbrella organizations to which they are affiliated: the Sistema Interamericana de Metrología (SIM), the Comisión Panamericana de Normas Técnicas (COPANT) and the InterAmerican Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC). The regional project aims to strengthen the capabilities of these regional QI organizations and of their national members in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources and to promote mutual coordination. The focus of the first phase lies on the following topics, identified as priorities by the partners and experts during the preparation phase:
- Quality assurance for solar thermal equipment for water heating
- Smart and traditional metering for national electricity grids
- Reliable determination and documentation (e.g. labeling) of the energy efficiency of household appliances
Partners
SIM, COPANT and IAAC serve as the project partners, implementing activities in cooperation with PTB. The leading political partner is the Organization of American States (OAS). The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) are involved as strategic partners and consultants with regard to energy policy issues.
Awareness & Cooperation
Grids
Title | Date | Place | Organizers |
---|---|---|---|
Training on “Calibration of Power Quality Analyzers” | 01.–02.10.2018 | Querétaro, México | CENAM |
50/60 Hz Energy Comparison | 11.06.–31.08.2018 | San Salvador, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panama City, Panama | CENAMEP AIP, NMIS |
Workshop "Losses Measurement in Power Transformers" | 26.–30.05.2018 | Panama City, Panama | PTB, CENAMEP AIP, UTE |
Dialogue: Transmission & Distribution Agencies, Grids Operators and SIM NMIs | 26.–28.07.2017 | Mexico City | SIM, CENAM, PTB |
Training on “On-Site Calibration Of Voltage Measurement Transformers And Current Measurement Transformers” | 17.–19.07.2016 | Ottawa, Canada | SIM, PTB |
Energy Efficiency
Renewable Energy
Title | Date | Place | Organizers |
---|---|---|---|
Strengthening the Capabilities for the Calibration of Pyranometers and Pyrheliometers for Use in Solar Radiation Measurements | 03.–07.09.2018 | Santiago de Chile, Chile | PTB, USACh, INN, WRC |
Forum on Regional Cooperation: Developing Quality Infrastructure for Photovoltaic Energy Generation | 13.–15.08.2017 | Santiago de Chile, Chile | IRENA, CORFO, OLADE |
Training Activity for Strengthening of the Technical Competence of the Testing Laboratories foo the LAC Region for the determination fo the energy efficiency in Solar Water Heaters | 10.–14.07.2017 | Costa Rica | ICE |
Project Management
Title | Date | Place | Organizers |
---|---|---|---|
Meeting Project Management Team | 24.08.2018 | México, D.F., México | PTB |
Project Steering Committee Meeting – Quality Infrastructure for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy | 23.–24.08.2018 | Ciudad de México, México | PTB |
PSC Meeting | 02.10.2017 | San Salvador, El Salvador | PTB |
Taller de planificacion regional "Quality Infrastructure in the Andean Countries for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency" | 20.–21.04.2017 | Lima, Peru | PTB |
Planning Workshop "Quality Infrastructure in Central America for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency" | 24.–25.03.2017 | Panama City, Panama | PTB |
PSC Meeting | 17.–19.11.2016 | Montevideo, Uruguay | PTB |