EU Environmental
Technology Verification
pilot programme
delivered by the NPL Centre for Carbon Measurement
What is ETV?
• EU Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) is a new tool to help innovative
environmental technologies reach the market. The problem at the moment is that
many innovations are not taken up simply because they are new and untried.
• Under ETV, claims about the performance of innovative environmental technologies
can be verified by a qualified third party (the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the
UK’s National Measurement Institute).
• With proof of performance credibly assured, innovations can expect an easier market
access and/ or a larger market share.
Who’s eligible?
•A
technology can be verified under ETV when it meets the following criteria:
- it is an ‘Environmental Technology’ i.e. products, processes or services whose use is less
environmentally harmful than relevant alternatives
- it is an ‘Innovative Technology’ i.e. Novel in terms of design, raw materials involved,
production process, use, recyclability or final disposal
- it is ready for market
- it belongs to one of the technology areas listed in the diagram (water, waste or energy)
NPL is a Verification Body for Energy Technologies
Energy
Technologies
Water Treatment
and Monitoring
Materials, Waste
and Resources
Verification body
for the Energy
Technologies
Fuel
Cells
Solar
Energy
Energy
Efficient
Lighting
Smart
Infrastructure
Marine and
wind
What is special about ETV?
• With ETV, the starting point is the technology performance claimed by the
manufacturer, its innovative features, not pre-defined criteria or standards like in
certification schemes.
• The end result of ETV is not a label on a product but a more detailed Statement of
Verification for use in business-to-business relations.
• E TV results can be used to prove compliance with any relevant legislation, to
underpin a bid in public tendering, to convince investors or customers of the
reliability of performance claims and to avoid repeating tests and demonstrations for
different users.
How can NPL help SMEs access ETV?
•N
PL realises that the cost of testing and
verification is often a barrier for SMEs to
commercialise their products.
• The Technology Innovation Fund (TIF) is made
available to eligible SMEs and can reduce the
cost of NPL services by 50%
International ETV Programmes
An international working group is progressing towards
joining these schemes up and ISO have announced they
will develop an ETV specific international standard.
How does ETV work at NPL?
Contact phase
Proposer contacts NPL, exchange
of information. NPL carries out
eligibility check.
Proposal phase
Quick assessment of the technology.
NPL advises on whether to undertake the
verification or not. Provide cost estimate.
Specific protocol
preparation phase
Definition of technical parameters to be
verified, requirements on tests and test
data quality. NPL decides whether further
tests are needed.
Assessment and
Verification phase
Testing phase
If necessary, definition of test plan,
testing and reporting on tests.
Final assessment of test data and
verification requirements.
Publication phase
Statement of Verification registered and
published on the EU ETV webpage.
National Physical Laboratory
Hampton Road
Teddington
Middlesex
United Kingdom
TW11 0LW
Switchboard: 020 8977 3222
Email: etv@npl.co.uk
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etv/
www.npl.co.uk/carbon-measurement