Project Portfolio
ETV Pre-Programme
It is well established that technology verification schemes can support the acceptance of novel environmental technologies. This is of particular importance to Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that could face many barriers in launching their new technologies to market. Verification schemes provide independent and credible confirmation of the technology vendor's claims, accelerating acceptance and take up by investors and end-users from both the public and private sectors.
Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) schemes already exist in a number of countries including the USA, Canada, South Korea and Japan. A voluntary European ETV scheme is currently under development following the completion of a series of pilot projects which have demonstrated the value of technology verification as a tool to support Eco-Innovation.
To further support the development of the European scheme, a voluntary ETV ‘pre-programme’ is being implemented to generate independent and credible information on new environmental technologies, by verifying that performance claims put forward by technology developers and vendors are complete, fair and based on reliable test results.
The pre-programme will:
• Help technology developers and vendors, especially SMEs, to generate evidence based claims regarding the performance of their new technology, to attract both investment and customers.
• Support buyers (both public and private) in making decisions by providing recognised and scientifically valid evidence on the performance of a particular technology.
• Provide the general public, policy makers and regulators with sound information on the performance of new eco-technologies entering the market.
It is anticipated that the pre-programme will be launched autumn 2010, with the scheme fully operational by mid 2011.
With the goal of achieving “verified once, accepted everywhere” the European Commission have also funded the ‘Advance ETV’ project, aimed at facilitating recognition and acceptance of ETV data among the different nationally recognised ETV schemes. This will open up wider market opportunities for technology developers through enabling them to have a verification mark that is recognised and accepted by all similar national verification schemes around the world.
Useful links:
The following links provide further information on EU and global ETV initiatives
www.lifeetv.com (TRITECH ETV pilot project)
www.eu-etv-strategy.eu (Advance ETV)
www.etvcanada.ca (ETV Canada)
www.epa.gov/etv (US EPA ETV)
