Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) consists of the
verification of the performance of
environmental technologies through testing using established protocols or specific requirements.
This process is carried out by qualified third parties, and several ETV programs are being run worldwide. These programs are organized through government initiatives, with the United States of America and Canada being among the pioneers. Other programs are being run in South Korea, Japan, Bangladesh, Denmark, France, Europe, the Philippines, and China.
[European Commission, Joint Research Centre (2014]
"ETV Newsletter, April 2014"
However, each program has its own definitions, structure and procedures, and programs are not always compatible with one another.
[ETV International Working Group (2013]
"Guidance Document towards the Mutual Recognition of Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Programs"
/ref> In 2007, an ETV International Working Group was formed to work on the convergence of the different programs towards mutual recognition. The group's motto was ''Verified once, verified everywhere''.[IS]
retrieved 2014-07-16
The US ETV Program
The Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program of the Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Protection Agency may refer to the following government organizations:
* Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland), Australia
* Environmental Protection Agency (Ghana)
* Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland)
* Environmenta ...
(EPA) in the United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
develops testing protocols and verifies the performance of innovative environmental technologies that can address problems that threaten human health
Health has a variety of definitions, which have been used for different purposes over time. In general, it refers to physical and emotional well-being, especially that associated with normal functioning of the human body, absent of disease, p ...
or the natural environment
The natural environment or natural world encompasses all life, biotic and abiotic component, abiotic things occurring nature, naturally, meaning in this case not artificiality, artificial. The term is most often applied to Earth or some parts ...
.
ETV Website
Centers
ETV has five centers called verification organizations, which are run through a cooperative agreement: Advanced Monitoring Systems center, Air Pollution Control Technology center, Drinking Water Systems center, Greenhouse Gas Technology center, and Water Quality Protection center.
Environmental and Sustainable Technology Technology Verifications (ESTE)
A component of ETV which was added in 2005 to address priority environmental technology categories for meeting the USEPA needs for credible performance information. Priority is given to technologies that can address high-risk environmental problems.
ETV Accomplishments, impacts, and outcomes
ETV has verified over 400 technologies and developed more than 90 protocols. A survey of participating vendors completed in 2001 showed overwhelming support for the ETV program. Responses indicated that 73 percent of the vendors were using ETV information in product marketing, and 92 percent of those surveyed responded that they would recommend ETV to other vendors.
In 2006, EPA published a two-volume set of case studies which document actual and projected outcomes from verifications of technologies in 15 technology categories
ETV Program Case Studies Vol 1 EPA/600/R-06/001
an
ETV Program Case Studies Vol II EPA/600/R-06/082
.
An Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) survey showed that 34 states recognize and use ETV reports. ASDWA and its members rely heavily on these evaluations to support the use of new technologies and products in the drinking water industry.
Designating a product or technology as ETV “verified” does not mean a given technology reduces every emission
Emission may refer to:
Chemical products
* Emission of air pollutants, notably:
** Flue gas, gas exiting to the atmosphere via a flue
** Exhaust gas, flue gas generated by fuel combustion
** Emission of greenhouse gases, which absorb and emit rad ...
, has no drawbacks, or outperforms solutions ''not'' on the “verified” list.
Designating a product or technology as “verified” means that a given technology produced “X” outcome, when tested according to a specific protocol.
Verified diesel emission reduction technologies and their outcomes
*Biodiesel
Biodiesel is a renewable biofuel, a form of diesel fuel, derived from biological sources like vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled greases, and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made from fats.
The roots of bi ...
: Reduced inorganic (soot) carbon emissions, Increased NOx emissions - Increased organic carbon (SOF / VOC) emissions.
*Diesel Particulate Filter
A diesel particulate filter (DPF) is a device designed to remove diesel exhaust#Particulates, diesel particulate matter or soot from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine.Tom Nash (May 2003) "Diesels: The Smoke is clearing", ''Motor '' Vol.199 No. ...
(various manufacturers): Reduces TPM, Does Not Address NOx.
*Diesel Oxidation Catalyst
A catalytic converter part is an exhaust emission control device which converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction. Catalytic converters are u ...
(various manufacturers) : Reduces TPM, Does Not Address NOx.
*Clean Diesel Technologies fuel borne catalyst: potential fine metallic emissions & potential resulting health effects - need PM filter - minimal NOx reduction.
*Purinox - water / diesel fuel emulsion: PM/HC/CO emissions can increase as a result of tuning to compensate for decreased power- only summer blend verified.
*Envirofuels Diesel Fuel Catalyzer: verified on tier 0 locomotive engine - verification report specifies an increase in total particulate (TPM) emissions on the treated fuel, as compared to the baseline fuel, even though the gaseous emissions and visible smoke opacity decreased significantly.
*Envirofuels diesel fuel catalyzer showed a verified fuel consumption reduction.
Composition of total diesel particulate matter and the relation to smoke opacity
The composition of TPM (total diesel particulate matter) is the sum of "dry" particulates, and "wet" particulates.
"Dry" Particulate emissions are also known as inorganic soot, black carbon, or elemental carbon.
"Wet" particulates are also known as organic carbon
Total organic carbon (TOC) is an analytical parameter representing the concentration of organic carbon in a sample. TOC determinations are made in a variety of application areas. For example, TOC may be used as a non-specific indicator of wa ...
, soluble organic fractions (SOFs) and volatile organic compounds
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that have a high vapor pressure at room temperature. They are common and exist in a variety of settings and products, not limited to house mold, upholstered furniture, arts and crafts sup ...
(VOCs).
The exact ratio of "wet to dry" diesel particulate matter will vary by engine load, duty cycle, fuel composition and specification, and engine tuning.
An opacity reading is a measurement of the level of ''visible'' inorganic carbon, also known as soot. Opacity measurements cannot detect organic carbon emissions, VOC / SOF emissions, or NOx emissions.
Specialized instrumentation is required to determine organic carbon levels, and to detect other unseen particulates. When used in conjunction with an opacity meter, the technician can detect (for example) an increase in TPM, and detect a decrease in visible smoke (opacity) emissions.
Function as a neutral clearinghouse
The ETV verification program (and other verification pathways) publish the verification reports, technology options charts, and technical summaries, once testing has been completed.
The ETV testing facility will issue press releases on behalf of the technology vendor, upon completion of testing.
The ETV verification program reports all outcomes, and leaves the ultimate decision regarding the suitability and applicability of a given technology to the discretion of the end user. Additional research may be necessary in order to adequately address specific situations.
ETV in Europe
ETV has been developed in different European countries as part of government initiatives and/or as part of funded research projects. Research projects included TESTNET, PROMOTE, AIR ETV, TRITECH ETV and ADVANCE ETV. Formal programs and initiatives took place in Denmark with the Danish Centre for Environmental Technology Verification (DANETV), the Nordic countries, including Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway, with the Nordic Environmental Technology Verification (NOWATEC) project, in France with the French ETV program and in a partnership between Denmark, The Netherlands and Germany with the Verification of Environmental Technologies for Agricultural Production (VERA). The European Union launched in 2011 an ETV Pilot Programme[European Commission (201]
"Commission Staff Working Paper on ETV"
Accompanying COM (2011) 899 with the support from seven EU member states: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Poland and United Kingdom. This initiative was initially prepared under the Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP) from the European Commission[European Commission (2004]
"COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Stimulating Technologies for Sustainable Development: An Environmental Technologies Action Plan for the European Union"
COM/2004/0038 and was then followed under the Eco-Innovation Plan.
The European Commission has taken the decision to discontinue its work on the ETV programme as of November 2022, following an internal assessment.
The European Union ETV Pilot program
Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) is a new tool to help innovative environmental technologies reach the market. Claims about the performance of innovative environmental technologies can be verified by qualified third parties called
Verification Bodies
". The
Statement of Verification
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210051343/http://iet.jrc.ec.europa.eu/etv/verified-technologies , date=2015-02-10 " delivered at the end of the ETV process can be used as evidence that the claims made about the innovation are both credible and scientifically sound. With proof of performance credibly assured, innovations can expect an easier market access and/or a larger market share and the technological risk is reduced for technology purchasers.
ETV in the UK
Under the EU-ETV Pilot Programme, there are four Verification Bodies:
* The European Marine Energy Centre
EMEC-ETV
* BRE Global
* National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
* Water Research Centre (WRC)
References
External links
USEPA Environmental Technology Verification Program
ETV Program Policy Compendium
ETV Program website
ETV publications
European ETV Program : RESCOLL web site
French ETV website
Environmental technology
Pollution control technologies