International Standards are key for promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy sources

The World Energy Congress organised in Rome, Italy (11-15 November 2007) included a session on the role of International Standards, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

It provided an overview of the key role that International Standards can play in supporting the development and promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.

International Standards were recognised as part of the solution to today’s energy issues for the following reasons:

• they help avoid unnecessary technical barriers to trade which might result from national and regional policies
• they are essential for creating global markets for efficient energy technologies and for disseminating good energy management practice
• they provide common metrics for defining and measuring energy performance so that investment decisions and incentives may be targeted to encourage energy efficiency
• they support scientific cooperation and the harmonization of public policies.

Paul Waide, from the International Energy Agency (IEA), presented a joint  IEA-ISO Position Paper on the issue, which was used as background material for the 2007 G8 Meeting.

The ISO Secretary-General, Alan Bryden, and the IEC President, Renzo Tani, outlined the work their organisations are doing in order to promote the goal of a sustainable energy future in this interdependent world.