Increasing the share of renewable energy in the national energy mix ranks high on the political agenda of many governments around the globe. Multi- and bilateral development banks support national governments in pursuing this objective and provide funding for renewable energy projects. The success and sustainability of the investment, as well as the achievement of national renewable energy targets depend to a large extent on the quality, performance and safety of the financed energy system. Adequate quality and safety criteria should therefore be considered in the financing schemes.

Our team was commissioned by Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) to conduct a study on current financing practices and lessons learned in photovoltaic (PV) projects in India and Indonesia. We emphasized criteria that entailed the use of service of the Quality Infrastructure, including metrology, testing, standardization, certification, inspection and accreditation.

The study included desk research as well as interviews with relevant international and local stakeholders in India and Indonesia.

The results of the study and the recommendations developed by our team were presented in a stakeholder roundtable in India in March 2016 and used as input for the Host-Country Seminar “Promoting Renewable Energies in Asia – the Quality Challenge” held during the Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Frankfurt, Germany.