Press release: Ghent University and Belgian Electrotechnical Committee join IECRE
In the framework of the Interreg 2 Seas ENCORE project, the Coastal Engineering Research Group of Ghent University and the Belgian Electrotechnical Committee npo (BEC) recently completed the process to enroll Belgium as a full member of the International Electrotechnical Commission on Renewable Energy (IECRE). Belgium was already a full member of IEC TC114.
IECRE is the IEC system for testing, inspection and certification to standards relating to equipment for use in Renewable Energy applications. IECRE seeks to facilitate international trade in equipment and services in the Renewable Energy sector through the development of a single/global Conformity assessment system. This Conformity assessment system strives for achieving acceptance of high-quality international standards by local/national authorities and other bodies requiring conformity to standards.
With this new Belgian IECRE membership, the Coastal Engineering Research Group of Ghent University and the Belgian Electrotechnical Committee have the objective to contribute to the development and implementation of international high quality certification schemes in the sectors of Marine Energy, Wind Energy and Solar Energy. The main objective is to de-risk new technologies, facilitate export and increase attractiveness and confidence for investors. For emerging industries such as those related to Marine Energy a better communication and product assessment will be achieved in the supply chain by using a harmonized and uniform global certification system.
The Coastal Engineering Research Group of Ghent University will participate in the development of Marine Energy certification schemes and protocols for scale testing, by participating in different working groups of the IECRE, together with members France, Netherlands, UK, USA and Japan. UGent’s scientific and technical staff, its state-of-the-art testing facilities (i.e. the Coastal & Ocean Basin (COB) and wave flume) and the IECRE system will mutually benefit each other. The Coastal Engineering Research Group of Ghent University will benefit from IECRE’s international leading role in standardization of testing protocols and reports, certification and certified facilities for Renewable Energy Applications. The IECRE system will benefit from the Coastal Engineering Research Group of Ghent University feedback in the creation of standards and protocols, in order to realize a globally accepted standardization system.
The Belgian Electrotechnical Committee aspires to facilitate companies' participation in the standardisation process through technical committees and aims to ensure mutual communication between Belgian, European and global standardisation activities. The enrolment of Belgium as a full member of the IECRE system will allow the emerging renewable energy sector (specifically marine, solar and wind) to participate in the development of related protocols and standards, creating excellent opportunities and mutual benefits for both BEC and Belgian companies. On the one hand, BEC will be able to broaden its service offer, while Belgian companies will get additional chances to express their interests in developing and applying high-quality protocols, thus facilitating market trade not only at national but also at European and international level.
About the Coastal Engineering Research Group of Ghent University
The Coastal Engineering Research Group of Ghent University (CERG-UGent) is an international player in the field of Blue Energy with its pioneering research tools. CERG-UGent focuses on the research topics of wave and tidal energy, and offshore floating wind turbines and other floating structures. CERG-UGent is a pioneer in investigating arrays and farms (or “parks”) of energy devices. Furthermore, the main fields of expertise are the design, construction and monitoring of coastal structures (mainly breakwaters and sea dikes); the experimental and numerical modelling of wave propagation and interaction with coastal structures; the development and usage of instruments for field measurements and renewable (wave, tide, offshore wind) energy conversion.
Our integrated approach is based on numerical and experimental modelling, and field measurements. For this purpose we develop a range of numerical models and instrumentation, while our infrastructure includes the “wave & current flume” at the Technologiepark Campus Ghent, the “Blue Accelerator test site” in the Ostend harbour, and the “Coastal & Ocean Basin” at the UGent Campus Ostend.
About BEC
The Belgian Electrotechnical Committee npo (BEC) is a neutral and independent standardization platform for electrotechnics and electronics in Belgium. All BEC activities and services are performed in compliance with national, European and international standardization procedures and in concertation with the relevant national European and international standardization bodies.
The BEC ensures that the voice of Belgian interests (companies, government bodies, organisations, consumers) is heard in Belgium, Europe and around the world. The BEC facilitates technical committees in Belgium where stakeholders reach consensus on new or to be renewed standardisations topics. The Belgian consensus is then defended by BEC through its mandataries in the European and international electrotechnical committees, each of which monitors a specific market domain. In some cases, and when requested by industry, the BEC holds the secretariat and/or chairmanship of CENELEC and IEC Technical Committees.
For more information about the Belgian IECRE membership, please contact:
CERG Ghent University and Coastal Ocean Basin Prof. Peter Troch +32 9 264 54 94 peter.troch@ugent.be Belgian Electrotechnical Committee npo
Mr. Serge Noels
+32 2 706 85 74
+32 485 308 557