In light of new collaboration opportunities, the German Embassy, together with STAMEQ, seeks to amplify awareness around the mostly underestimated topic of Quality Infrastructure (QI) for Solar Energy.
On April 12th, 2024, the third steering committee meeting of the Promotion of Quality Assurance Services for Sustainable Energy project, led by the German Metrology Institute, Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), convened at the headquarters of their implementation partner, the Directorate for Standards, Quality, and Metrology (STAMEQ).
While investment in the solar sector has notably slowed down post its peak in 2020 to 2022, it has presented a window of opportunity to address the critical need for quality assurance, which has not evolved at the same pace as solar energy capacities in Viet Nam. This is addressed by the project Promotion of Quality Assurance Services for Sustainable Energy, which is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB).
During the meeting, Santiago Alonso Rodriguez, Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy, highlighted the underestimated potential of Quality Infrastructure (QI) to ensure high quality products for the benefits of the consumer and the economic development. QI serves as a cornerstone for for navigating the energy transition and expanding renewable energy production and supply. Mr. Rodriguez emphasized that technical progress offers an opportunity to elevate the economy and foster green growth in the local markets as well as in the international supply chains.
Dr. Ha Minh Hiep, Acting Director General of STAMEQ, expressed keen interest in the further collaboration with the German Embassy to raise awareness among relevant ministries regarding the importance of shaping the quality infrastructure, especially in priority areas, such as energy transition and sustainable development. Dr. Hiep conveyed appreciation for the successful partnership with PTB thus far, rooted in knowledge exchange and technical cooperation. Notably, through this collaboration, STAMEQ has developed a keen interest in developing the National Quality Infrastructure, particularly with a focus on photovoltaics (PV), with aspirations to adopt international standards from standards organisations such as IEC, ISO, and DIN, the latter being important for Digital Transformation.
Following the mutual agreement between STAMEQ and PTB to extend their partnership in developing quality assurance services for renewable energy, with a specific focus on PV, preparations are underway for the second phase with a budget of 1 million Euros. STAMEQ aims to prolong this collaboration beyond the second phase, demonstrating unwavering determination and continuous engagement. The Vietnamese partners eagerly anticipate further fruitful cooperation with PTB and seek to explore collaboration opportunities with the German Embassy. This initiative aligns with the focus of Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)‘s development cooperation in Vietnam, particularly in partnership on energy transition, vocational training, and green growth.
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