A robust Quality Infrastructure (QI) system, covering metrology, standardization, accreditation, conformity assessment and market surveillance, helps countries improve product and service quality, reduce technical risks, and enable market access. In the Palestinian Territories, work on QI takes place in a fragile, conflict‑affected environment, where heightened insecurity and severe restrictions can disrupt mobility, market access and public service delivery. The appraisal therefore focused on how strengthening QI can make a tangible, near-to-medium term contribution to resilience and socio‑economic development, and how it can lay foundations for the country’s future development rather than being a purely technocratic exercise.

A central part of the assignment was to identify those sectors that are particularly critical under current conditions and where better QI services would have the highest leverage. Drawing on existing QI diagnostics and additional partner consultations, the appraisal confirmed that the energy sector, in particular photovoltaic (PV) and energy efficiency, is a structural backbone for socio‑economic development in the Palestinian Territories. High energy costs and the importance of decentralised energy supply mean that the quality, safety and performance of PV systems and energy efficiency measures directly affect households, businesses and public institutions. At the same time, metrology, testing and other QI services for the energy sector are still underdeveloped, with significant gaps in calibration and testing services and in the availability of relevant standards and technical guidance.

Ferdinand Consultants supported PTB by leading the appraisal mission and working closely with the PTB project team and Palestinian partners to update the project outline and sharpen the project focus. Our team prepared and led interviews with existing and potential partners, facilitated the discussions on how to update outputs and indicators, and translated the jointly agreed direction into an updated impact matrix and a formal change proposal for BMZ.

Our contribution combined mission delivery with concrete improvements to the project design.

“Ferdinand Consultants combined strong QI and photovoltaic sector knowledge with excellent facilitation. Niels and Michael guided a structured partner dialogue in a fragile, fast-changing context. They synthesized diverse inputs into an updated impact matrix and change proposal. Communication was smooth throughout, and their flexibility and responsiveness made a big difference to the success of the process.”
-Madeleine Martin, Project Coordinator, Palestinian Territories, PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt).

What we delivered:

Appraisal mission leadership, including preparation and facilitation of interviews with existing and potential partners.

Structured partner dialogue to agree, together with PTB and Palestinian counterparts, how to update the project outline, outputs and indicators.

Sector prioritisation to sharpen the project focus, identifying PV and energy efficiency as a priority area given its relevance for socio‑economic development and the potential contribution of QI.

An updated impact matrix, developed in close collaboration with the PTB project team, integrating the agreed changes into a coherent and measurable results logic.

A BMZ-compliant change proposal, drafted from the appraisal findings and finalised in close coordination with PTB.

What changed in the project as a result (outcome-oriented design improvements):

Strong system-wide governance focus, sharpening coordination and strategic steering of the national QI system and advancing the pathway for the National Quality Policy implementation plan.

Outcome-oriented indicators, better capturing demonstrable progress and capability gains among both providers and users of QI services.

A sectoral deepening on PV and energy efficiency as an additional component, creating a structured interface between energy-sector actors and QI institutions to align standards and services with practical sector needs. This includes targeted exchange formats between QI and energy stakeholders, the preparation of energy‑related standards for integration into the national system, and the systematic linkage of identified sector needs to metrology and other QI service development.

Building on existing QI diagnostics and partner consultation, Ferdinand Consultants led the appraisal process that enabled PTB and Palestinian counterparts to agree and formalise a revised project design for the next implementation phase – one that explicitly responds to the current fragile context while positioning QI as a critical enabler of the Palestinian Territories’ future socio‑economic development.

With the nation’s goal of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030—including 280 GW from solar—effective energy storage solutions are essential for managing power generation and ensuring a stable energy supply.

BESS provides a range of benefits for integrating renewable energy, such as improving grid stability, enabling peak load management, enhancing the profitability of renewable energy investments, reducing renewable energy curtailment, supporting decentralised energy solutions, and providing fast-response operating reserves.

To support the development of quality infrastructure (QI) services for BESS, our team designed and co-facilitated a multi-stakeholder engagement initiative entitled “Improving Quality Infrastructure for Battery Energy Storage Systems”. This initiative aimed to identify the QI services required by the battery sector to ensure the sustainability, safety, and quality of BESS as well as to meet buyer expectations.

The process was carried out using the Calidena methodology, a participatory approach designed to strengthen QI in value chains through stakeholder collaboration. It involved interviews and meetings with QI institutions and sector organisations, along with background research and mapping of the BESS value chain to identify areas with the highest demand for QI services.

A two-day, in-person stakeholder workshop was conducted in India, where participants collaboratively assessed existing gaps and demands in QI services. The workshop also focussed on identifying priority areas for the development or expansion of QI services. In addition to strengthening specific QI services, the process also aimed to foster greater cooperation and coordination among national and international organisations.

The process culminated in the formulation of an action plan outlining subsequent activities and identifying organisations to be involved in the implementation phase. The implemented activities will support the improvement of laboratory testing facilities, address requirements for the End of Life management of BESS and close existing gaps in supporting standards and technical regulations in India.

The initiative was conducted on behalf of the German Metrology Institute, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Due to the global climate crisis, there is an urgency for all sectors of the global economy to be decarbonised – following a net-zero compatible pathway – by or around 2050. While most industries and applications can rely on electrification with renewable power, some hard-to-abate sectors need more than electrification alone, and require the use of hydrogen, or hydrogen derived commodities like ammonia, methanol or direct reduced iron (DRI) steel to achieve net-zero emissions. According to IRENA’s 1.5°C scenario, green and blue hydrogen production would need to increase to 125 million tonnes per year (Mtpa) by 2030 and 523 Mtpa by 2050. This brings both opportunities for development, as well as challenges for scaling and adapting the production, infrastructure and end-use value chains required. The existence and further development of a robust Quality Infrastructure – defined as a system comprised of organisations, policies, legal framework, and practices required to assure quality, safety and sustainability of products and services – for green hydrogen is a key pillar for enabling this transition.

Ferdinand Consultants supported IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, throughout its project focused at practical recommendations on the development of quality infrastructure services for the green hydrogen value chain. Niels Ferdinand is one of the key authors of the related publications. The project was implemented together with Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (Germany’s national metrology institute – PTB) and with financial support from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Quality infrastructure provides instruments and services to reduce safety, financial, and reputational risks in the sector while supporting the achievement of the intended positive sustainability impacts of investments. IRENA’s report “A Quality Infrastructure Roadmap for green Hydrogen” includes an overview of the main considerations and good practices for the key elements that underpin the quality infrastructure ecosystem, namely standardisation, metrology, conformity assessment (testing, certification, inspection, verification, and validation), and accreditation, as well as technical regulations relevant for the hydrogen sector.

A key output of the project is a general roadmap on how countries can develop their quality infrastructure to effectively support the green hydrogen sector, with particular focus on the hydrogen production and distribution segments of the value chain. The five steps included in this roadmap approach are:

IRENA piloted the roadmap in a case study developed for Tunisia together with the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy. Ferdinand Consultants supported the pilot application, identifying Quality Infrastructure services offered and required, proposing an action plan for Tunisia and participating in the related stakeholder consultation. See contents of the case study here.

A three-level model is proposed which defines the required quality infrastructure services at different levels of development of the green hydrogen sector:

A checklist of services for each quality infrastructure pillar is provided, that can be used by policymakers and industry stakeholders to ensure that key services are in place from basic services to specialised requirements for green hydrogen. A database, comprising of a non-exhaustive list of available and upcoming quality infrastructure standards was also created.

The project developed comprehensive knowledge and defined a systemic approach to develop quality infrastructure for the emerging green hydrogen. The roadmap provides a structured method and practical tools for decision-makers and practitioners to apply when considering the vital role of quality infrastructure in supporting their energy transition efforts.

“Working with Niels was an absolute pleasure. He had such specialized knowledge which greatly informed the development of the outputs of the project. He is a very committed professional and a great team player – his contributions were invaluable! The supporting Ferdinand Consultants team (particularly Maria Llauradó) was extremely helpful in reviewing and finalising the roadmap as well as the database annex.”

Jaidev Dhavle
Associate Programme Officer – Innovation for the Energy Transition
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

In his role as tender agent, Niels Ferdinand supports KfW and its Project Executing Agencies in finding the right partners to implement projects in developing economies. His engagement includes developing tender documents, communicating  with tenderers and supporting the selection of consultancy firms that best fit project requirements.  

Niels´ primary focus work with KfW is on renewable energy projects in Asia. 

In 2017 and 2019 our team was assigned by PTB to conduct studies in Latin America and Sub Saharan Africa on the services required by the Quality Infrastructure (measurement, testing, standardization, certification and accreditation) to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The study in Africa was conducted in cooperation with Adelphi Consult. It defined the services required in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, health and agriculture. Funding options were identified, as well asopportunities for project implementation for selected Sub Saharan Countries.

The studies enabled PTB to focus its cooperation with Quality Infrastructure organizations in Latin America and Sub Saharan Africa on the new services required in times of climate change.

Links to the studies:
Quality Infrastructure and Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean
Quality Infrastructure for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change- Potentials, opportunities and chances in Sub-Saharan