IEA and IEC held workshop on energy efficiency standards.

Press Release Summary:



On March 16-17, 2009, in Paris, ISO and IEC hosted workshop to advance development of international standards for energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. Nearly 300 experts from public and private sectors attended. Presentations and discussion panels addressed requirements and challenges of energy efficiency standardization work in various fields. Recommendations related to communications, participation, expert involvement/coordination, and adaptability were made.



Original Press Release:



Paris Workshop Promotes International Standards for Energy Efficiency



New York April 9, 2009

According to estimates from the International Energy Agency (IEA), world energy demand will increase by 45% between now and 2030 unless remedial actions are taken. Technical standards that define, measure, and evaluate energy efficiency must form the basis of all private and public sector actions to reduce energy usage. But without consistently applied, globally relevant metrics in place, policy makers and organizations worldwide face challenges in the implementation of energy efficient practices.

In an effort to increase international cooperation in this critical area and define a path forward, IEA teamed with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to host a workshop to advance the development of international standards for energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. Held March 16-17, 2009, in Paris, the workshop brought together nearly 300 experts from the public and private sectors.

"Today's trends in world energy demand give the sense of urgency. We need to act now with available solutions, which need to be applied and International Standards are part of the solution," explained Rob Steele, ISO Secretary-General.

The workshop provided an opportunity for interested stakeholders to exchange relevant information and develop an overview of next steps to advance standards for energy efficiency. Presentations and discussion panels addressed requirements and challenges of energy efficiency standardization work in a variety of fields, including industrial systems, power generation, buildings, and electrical and electronic appliances.

Several recommendations came out of the workshop:

Highlight and promote the complementary relationship between public policies and technical standards, communicating clearly that standards provide technical solutions

Encourage participation by all stakeholders with relevant interests in promoting energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions (particularly representatives of public authorities and consumers) from the earliest stages in the standards development process

Improve coordination and optimize involvement of experts in ongoing standardization work at the sectoral, national, regional, and international levels, ensuring exchange of information and promoting the use of already existing standards

Adjust standardization processes and deliverables to be more adaptive in addressing fast-moving technologies and evolving usage contexts of products and services

Commenting on the event, IEC General Secretary & CEO Aharon Amit said, "We need to be able to generate, transmit, and distribute more electricity with reduced impact. And we need to use electricity more intelligently. While the IEC continues to issue the standards for existing technologies, including energy efficiency for industrial and domestic uses, it is also working on new areas including ultra high voltage transmission and integrated smart grids, while continuing to maximize the potential from renewable energies."

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