The Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Programme in Italy: overview and preliminary case studies

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1 The Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Programme in Italy: overview and preliminary case studies Felice Alfieri, Environment and Climate Change ETV Scheme Manager

2 What is ETV? The EU-ETV Pilot Programme, operates as one of the initiatives under the Eco-Innovation Action Plan of the European Commission, aiming to support and promote eco-innovation mainly in highly dynamic and innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

3 What is ETV? ETV is a Verification of Performance of Innovative Environmental Technologies by qualified third parties called "Verification Bodies". The "Statement of Verification" delivered at the end of the ETV process can be used as evidence that the claims made about the innovation are both credible and scientifically sound.

4 What is ETV? ETV process: gives an independent proof of verifiable performance parameters; is a way to validate innovative technological features which satisfy specific user needs; a tool to demonstrate an added value for the environment. Verification under ETV is concerned with the technical design of a technology, not with the production series of industrial products.

5 Objectives Technology manufacturers (especially SMEs) WHAT To market their ecotechnologies. HOW Providing credible evidence about the performance of the technologies, in order to convince purchasers (and investors) of their merits. Technology to select the performing eco- by providing information on purchasers technologies fitting their needs which they can base their purchasing decisions. Citizens, regulators and decisionmakers facilitate the implementation of public policies and regulations providing solid information on the level of performance achievable by new environmental technologies ready for the market.

6 What ETV is NOT a labelling system based on a pre-defined set of criteria giving a pass-or-fail judgment on the performance of technologies comparing technologies a substitute of the actual testing of a new technology a positive or negative judgement on performances of technologies

7 Definitions Environmental technologies are all technologies (products, processes and services) whose use is less environmentally harmful than relevant alternatives. Innovative Environmental Technologies are environmental technologies presenting a novelty in terms of design, raw materials involved, production process, use, recyclability or final disposal, when compared with relevant alternatives.

8 Who may apply Technology developers, manufacturers or their authorized representatives. Inside or outside Europe.

9 Which technologies? Water treatment and monitoring Monitoring of water quality for microbial and chemical contaminants (e.g. test kits, probes, analyzers) Treatment of drinking water for microbial and chemical contaminants (e.g. filtration, chemical disinfection, advanced oxidation) and desalination of seawater Treatment of Industrial Water (e.g. disinfection, filtration, purification) Materials, waste and resources Energy technologies Recycling of industrial by-products and waste into secondary materials, recycling of construction waste into building materials Improved resource efficiency through material substitution Separation or sorting techniques for solid waste Recycling of batteries, accumulators and chemicals Reduction of mercury contamination from solid waste Products made of biomass. Production of heat and power from renewable sources of energy (e.g. wind, sea, geothermic and biomass) Reuse of energy from waste (e.g. 3rd generation biofuels and combustion technologies) Energy efficiency technologies (e.g. micro-turbines, hydrogen and fuel cells, heat pumps, combined heat and power production, logistics)

10 ETV Verification Bodies RINA Services accreditation is based on: ISO/IEC 17020:2012: Conformity Assessment Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection General Verification Protocol (GVP): the main technical reference for the implementation of ETV procedures.

11 Accredited VBs Italy: RINA Services and Certiquality France: Rescall and French National Laboratory for Metrology and Testing Great Britain: National Physical Laboratory (NPL), European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), Water Research Centre Finland: VTT Expert Services Denmark: ETA-Danmark Czech Republic: Czech Environmental Management Centre Poland: Institute of environmental protection National Research Institute

12 EU recognition Currently the EU ETV programme ensure a mutual recognition of verification performance at the EU level. The Verification Body Accreditation is at National Level (in Italy ACCREDIA), but the mutual recognition allows RINA Accreditation to be valid in all Europe.

13 ISO ETV The Technical Committee (TC) 207 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is working to develop a new standard ISO (Environmental management Environmental technology verification and performance evaluation). The aim is to develop an International standard for ETV with a global harmonization and mutual recognition.

14 How the process works? Source: «General Verification Protocol, version 1.1»

15 How the process works? Source: «A Comprehensive Guide For Proposers to the EU Environmental Technologies Verification Pilot Programme» AdvanceETV 2012

16 Contact Phase Eligibility Assessment: Is the technology ready for the market? Does it fall within the scope of the EU ETV pilot programme, included in the list of technologies areas? Does it show a sufficient level of technological innovation? The verification body (VB) established if continue or not the completion of the verification.

17 Proposal Phase Is the performance claim complete? The proposer describes the initial performance claim through the Verification Proposal document. The technical documentation shall make the VB able to understand the technology, revise the performance claim, prepare a quotation.

18 Specific Protocol Preparation Phase What are the requirements on data quality, measurement, calculation? The Specific Verification Preparation Phase aims to define the requirement on the processes from which the test data has been acquired, (e.g. testing methods), the required quality of test data, measurement and calculation methods (e.g. how the test data is processed into performance parameters).

19 T Testing Phase Are additional tests on the technology required? The tests shall be performed according the requirements on test design and data quality set. The main steps of this phase are: Test site selection Test plan elaboration (example in the Appendix 5 of the GVP) Testing Test report (example in the Appendix 5 of the GVP)

20 T Assessment and Verification Phase Is the set of data accurate and complete to verify the claimed performance? Based on the final assessment of data and revision of the applied procedures the Verification Body determines the final performance claim which can be considered verified under the EU ETV Pilot Programme.

21 T Publication Phase What is the output of the Verification Process? How to use the Statement of Verification and ETV Logo? The verification report together with the Statement of Verification are key products of the verification procedure determining the performance of a technology verified under the EU ETV Pilot Programme. The Statement of Verification can be used by the proposer in any dealings with other organisations, for marketing purposes and for official approval. The Statement of Verification must be published in full and it cannot be used in parts for any purpose.

22 When ETV is most benificial? No product standards exist which would express the claimed performance parameter of your technology; The innovative features are not adequately reflected by the existing standards; Certification and / or standards which apply to your technology are unharmonised across EU; Your technology offers better performance than your competitors even if the cost for the customer may be higher; The market you intend to enter is populated by relatively homogeneous technologies and ETV will confirm the distinctive features of your technology performance;

23 When When ETV is most benificial? Your technology is a discrete product and a complete novelty on the market and there are no actual technologies the customer may compare it with; You are a new player on the market (domestic, EU, global) and your relationships with customers are not well established yet; You know well the specific needs and requirements of your clients ( both industrial and public) towards the technical performance of a technology ( e.g. a drinking water purity level higher than the standard) the ETV may open a new market for you by proving the conformity of your technology with these needs.

24 Useful links:

25 image example Thank you for your partecipation Felice Alfieri, Environment and Climate Change ETV Scheme Manager