That was electrotechnical standardization 2024

In contrast to petrol or diesel pumping stations, the mere recording of measured values using a meter that complies with calibration law does not suffice when it comes to the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Additional equipment is needed in order to transmit and store data – such as the amount of energy that is charged. Legislation governing weights and measurements as well as standardization and norms create the basis required for consumers and business partners to have confidence in the measurement results. This trust is an essential prerequisite for the success of e-mobility.

We spoke with Checrallah Kachouh about this complex topic. Kachouh is the former CTO at Compleo and co-developer of the VDE application rule for conductive charging devices, which provides clear specifications for direct and alternating current charging devices that comply with measurement and calibration laws and provides the basis for the development of a common European standard.

Direct current is becoming increasingly important. Photovoltaics, electric cars and their storage systems will play an important role in the All Electric Society. Bidirectional charging promises to become a game changer when it comes to local grid stability.

In an interview with us Bernd Zeilmann, head of the Bayreuth Electrical and Information Technology Guild, outlined how the electrical trade and standardization share mutual benefits. He also described the type of regulation that the trade would like to see with regard to DC applications and sector coupling. Communication standards, for example, for the exchange of information between devices and sectors are needed. At the same time, standardization benefits from the fact that the skilled trades provide necessary practical experience in matters involving standardization. However, Zeilmann warns that, “If we as a skilled trade do not have common standards for the installation, commissioning and documentation of our solutions, then we cannot guarantee technical safety.”

Sustainability is crucial both for the field of hydrogen technologies and the circular economy. The circular economy describes the sustainable use of raw materials throughout a product’s entire life cycle. This also must be the case when hydrogen technologies are used for climate-neutral and resilient energy generation. The discussion paper entitled “How Can a Circular Economy Make the Use of Hydrogen Technologies More Efficient in Terms of Materials and Resources?” by DKE, DIN and VDI was written with this problematic in mind.

The two authors, Dr. Tim Brückmann (DKE) and Dr. Florian Lessing (VDE) discussed how recycling increases the available stock of raw materials and ensures greater stability when it comes to supplies. In the future, circular economy can be the new distinguishing feature, so that Made in Germany will be complemented with Made with Germany.

The use of SMART standards has the potential to increase a company’s sales by as much as sixty percent. This was determined by DIN and DKE as part of the Digital Standards Initiative (IDiS) .

The study examined how the use of SMART standards affects process quality, product quality and the sales potential of companies, as well as the impact that they have on staff and the organization. According to the study, the amount of time required is significantly reduced, material costs are cut in half, while the number of orders processed can actually double. DKE Managing Director Michael Teigeler says: “Our white paper demonstrates that SMART standards ultimately pay off for a company in business terms. This means that standards are no longer perceived by management as only a cost factor. They are a decisive competitive advantage and driver of innovation.”

The German Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief [BBK] updated its guide “Emergency Power Supply at Companies and Authorities” in time for the 2024 Hanover Trade Exhibition. 

We were able to schedule an interview with Christine Eismann, who is responsible at the agency for critical infrastructure protection. She explained why the energy transition can further the development of emergency power supplies, which interdisciplinary cooperation is so important, and how personal responsibility makes our society more resilient.

In Ms. Eismann’s opinion, only standardization makes it possible to successfully realize the interaction of innovative ideas. For example, standalone networks in the public distribution grid can clearly enhance society’s resilience in the event of large-scale, long-lasting power outages.

Almost half a million freight cars travel on Europe’s rail system. They are still coupled by hand and cannot provide power or continuous data lines. This is due to change: Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) will become the new system standard throughout Europe, thus making climate-friendly rail freight transportation much more efficient and effective.

With the aid of digital automatic coupling and continuous power and data lines, higher speeds are possible because the brakes can be controlled electronically – an achievement that has benefited passenger trains for some time now. This means that they can be much better aligned with the frequency and speed of passenger transport, which in turn leads to greater capacity throughout the network. In addition, the digital automatic coupling can be used to perform automatic brake testing, which not only reduces the workload for personnel but also saves time, thus also resulting in greater efficiency in rail goods traffic. 

The DKE Innovation Campus is an important annual event for standardization experts, which was attended by approximately 500 interested parties both on location in Hanau and via live-stream broadcast.

The vision of the All Electric Society (AES) served as the focus for rounds of discussion, workshops and lectures. High-level experts discussed key AES topics involving direct current applications, SMART standards and diversity in standardization, and participants were provided wth the opportunity to contribute their expertise.

All in all, the Innovation Campus 2024 once again succeeded in striking a balance between information, inspiration and professional and personal exchange. 

With the aim of increasing product life cycles and reducing electronic waste, the EU Commission commissioned the European standardization organizations with the preparation and further development of standards that support manufacturers and consumers in implementing the right to repair.

In order to do this a certain amount of rethinking must take place within the competent standardization committees. This is especially true in view of the fact that in the past, technical norms and standards were rarely designed to take aspects such as sustainability and environmental protection into account, and repairs were sometimes even deliberately ruled out for safety reasons.

For years now, national committees have been campaigning at the international level to have the recycling of products and their reprocessing for a second life into account as early as the design stage. 

As a centralized process conformity assessment ensures that products, processes or services meet specified statutory and normative requirements.

Conformity assessment procedures ensure the safety and reliability of electrical devices, electrotechnical components, systems and products. They include a variety of development-related activities, in parallel with testing and documentation processes, and take statutory requirements as well as our electrotechnical standards into consideration.

The declaration of conformity, as the successful result of the conformity assessment, confirms the fulfillment of requirements and thus permits market approval, in particular within the EU through CE marking.

Europe made its choice in the summer of 2024. In order to help new MEPs and institutions understand the value and opportunities of the European standardization system, CEN and CENELEC and their respective members, have called for a commitment to reshaping and strengthening the Single Market. In doing so, we are pursuing three common goals together with European policymakers:

1. renewal of our commitment to a robust and competitive Single Market;
2. European transformation through standardization in order to meet its ambitions of carbon neutrality and a digital future;
3. strengthening European global leadership through standardization.

Radon is a radioactive noble gas. It occurs in the soil and is of natural origin. High concentrations in living spaces represent an underestimated danger. As one of the most important causes of lung cancer after smoking, it therefore deserves special attention. However, the health risk can be significantly reduced with knowledge, regular measurements and targeted protective measures.

Legislation, standards and guidelines with regard to radon provide important orientation and form a solid basis for the development and application of radon measuring instruments, protective measures and remediation concepts. They make it possible for experts, authorities and homeowners to reliably assess radon exposure and to take appropriate action.

The world is changing and we are changing along with it. In addition to political changes, technological changes in particular play a major role as far as we are concerned. They provide us with new content and topics for our work, but also new methods and tools. In addition, a generational change is on the horizon and it is time to pass on the baton away from the baby boomers.

In a world full of innovation and challenges, your help will make our future more secure. THANK YOU for your commitment and dedication to national and international standardization. THANK YOU for your cooperation and discussions until consensus was reached. THANK YOU for your time and participation, even in difficult times. THANK YOU for your passion and interest – a passion that connects and drives us all.