QualiCert Qualifying installers of small-scale RES systems

1. QualiCert Qualifying installers of small-scale RES systems Final conference Brussels 8th December 2011

2. Article 14. paragraph 3 By 31st December 2012 Member States = certification schemes or equivalent qualification systems Available for small-scale renewable energy installations : biomass boilers and stoves, solar photovoltaic or solar thermal systems, shallow geothermal systems heat pumps. Schemes can take into account existing systems and structures Schemes based on the criteria set out in Annex IV Member State shall recognise certification awarded by other Member States The RES Directive Focus on certification/qualification schemes 2

3. QualiCert aims to : Provide guidelines Ensure a common approach The goal of Qualicert is NOT: Define one unique European scheme Change patterns of existing national certification / qualification equivalent to QualiCert’s objective 3

4. Project relies on an interdisciplinary multistakeholder approach Project Coordinator: ADEME National Key Actors: 3 others national energy agencies: - KAPE (Poland) - ENEA (Italy) - CRES (Greece) Arsenal (Austria) Qualit’EnR (France) Renewable energy actors - EU level: EREC - European Renewable Energy Council ESTIF - European Solar Thermal Industry Federation EPIA - European Photovoltaic Industry Association AEBIOM - European Biomass Association EGEC - European Geothermal Energy Council EHPA - European Heat Pump Association Representatives of installers - EU level: CEETB - European Technical Contractors Committee for the Construction Industry EBC - European Builders Confederation Consortium of 14 partners 4

5. The recommendations are now provided as a number of key “success criteria” in a practical manual. They have been defined through: 1. Analysis of existing schemes 2. Drafting of identified potential success criteria 3. Widespread consultation to validate the results and identify which criteria are compatible (or not) with national contexts QualiCert’s progress 5

6. Political endorsement The comments received were incorporated into the Manual Qualicert, which was presented to the major European stakeholders, through: • High level steering group meetings • National roundtables • Implementation workshops

7. The Manual • Proposes recommendations to Member States during their process of drafting national certification or equivalent qualification schemes

8. Structure Manual • The state of the art of certification/equivalent qualification at European and national level • Analysis of identified “key success criteria” • Sectoral specificities and best practice examples • Conclusions on how to define a common approach and ensure mutual recognition

9. Findings • Heterogeneoussetof certification/equivalent qualification schemes • Mostly new schemes BUT Acknowledged importance of implementing a quality schemein order to: improve the quality of RES installations develop installation standards and best practices increase the consumers’ confidence give access to a network of qualified installers

10. Challenges • Financial costs to set up a quality scheme and maintain it • Administrative burden for installers • Concerns about legal barriers in case new regulations / legislation need to be determined

11. QualiCert recommendations • Implement public / private partnership • One centrally managed scheme for all RES technologies • The role of audits • Communication tools • Ensuring the mutual recognition

12. Thank you for your attention! Alice FRANZ Policy officer alice.franz@eubuilders.org www.qualicert-project.eu