• Offer Profile
  • The TÜV NORD Group provides support for planners, constructors, manufacturers and operators across the entire lifecycle of energy technology products, systems and plants. We make a contribution to success in almost every energy field on the basis of our extensive experience and knowledge. TÜV NORD sees itself as a turnkey provider for optimum safety, availability and cost-effectiveness in the energy sector.
Product Portfolio
  • Renewable energy

      • Biogas

      • Get into the fast lane with TÜV NORD
        The technology of biogas plants is highly developed and proven. TÜV NORD has extensive expertise based on longstanding experience in appraising, assessing, testing, and the acceptance measures of biogas plants: our experts ensure that plants operate smoothly and cost-effectively. Benefit from the advantages of well-thought out licensing procedures, the safe and environmentally friendly operation of your biogas plant, as well as the proper and lawful structuring of your company management.

        We develop the database to assure the investors and banks of your biogas concept. Take advantage of our experience in order to obtain remuneration according to the renewable energies law (EEG). Have us examine whether your planned biogas plant meets all licensing and quality requirements and whether all aspects of the contractual and legal security are taken into consideration.

        TÜV NORD can support you with
        • Feasibility and profitability analyses
        • Support in licensing procedures: odour and noise estimates, testing for environmental compatibility, application documentation
        • Explosion, fire and lightning protection
        • Construction supervision, performance measurement and guarantee acceptance
        • Emission measurements according to §26 of the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG)
        • Safety tests according to § 29a of the Federal Immission Control Act
        • Implementation of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV), among other things, preparation of risk assessments
        • explosion protection documents
        • Tests in accordance with the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health prior to commissioning §14 and recurring §15
        • Certification of biogas plants, components and products
        • Assessment of reimbursement potential according to the EEG
        • Testing according to water rights (VAwS)
          • Operation, maintenance, modernisation, and optimisation

          • PERIODIC INSPECTIONS - Biogas facilities

            § 15 Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (ex protection)

            Systems requiring monitoring, such as biogas plants, must be tested for compliance with the security standards according to § 15 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health prior to initial commissioning or following a major modification. The recurring inspection (§ 15 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health) must be carried out every three years. TÜV NORD, as your reliable safety partner, offers you the following inspections:

            • We examine the ex protection document and its amendments
            • We examine whether the installation was carried out in line with the explosion protection document
            • We examine whether the equipment is suitable for use in potentially explosive atmospheres
            • We inspect the proper installation, the installation conditions, and the safe function 

            Water right tests

            To guarantee the comprehensive safety of systems and the environment, biogas systems must be designed and operated so that no water-harming substances can escape. TÜV NORD guarantees the highest safety standards and inspects in accordance with the directive on systems for handling water-harming substances (VAwS), including the site, substrate containers, pipelines, lubricant, old oil and silage storage systems.

            Our range of VAwS testing services covers:

            • Specialist operating certification
            • Approved facilities (containers, pipelines, building materials, operating resources,…)
            • Technical regulations
            • Requirements in the licensing notice 

            §29 a of the safety inspections ordinance

            Biogas plants that have or exceed a specific storage capacity and / or in which the motors employed have or exceed a specific rating require licensing. 
            According to the Federal Immission Control Act (§29a), an operator of a plant requiring a license can be required by the authorities to have specific safety-related inspections on plants and examinations of the safety-related documentation conducted by a disclosed expert.

            We provide you with comprehensive support: from the first consultation concerning plant planning to inspections prior to the initial commissioning of plants through to the recurring inspections.

            We assume the comprehensive inspection for the following areas:

            • Safety concept
            • Construction / installation
            • Safety-oriented control systems
            • Explosion protection concepts
            • Certificates / test records
            • Organisation / personnel
            • Requirements of the licensing notice

            Individual emission measurements

            Operators of biogas plants must have the concentration of individual materials or materials in plant emissions determined. This is regulated by conditions that appear in the licensing notice or it is required by public authorities. Individual measurements also serve as proof of compliance with prescribed limit values for guaranteeing the respective bonuses stipulated in the renewable energies law.

            We are able to guarantee that these measurements are carried out smoothly and give you a meaningful result. 

          • Manufacturing, construction, and commissioning

          • QUALITY ASSURANCE - Efficient optimisation

            You must continuously offer high quality in order to survive the competition over the long-term. For us, quality assurance is not simply a buzzword, but a central instrument in making our customers successful.

            The advantage of the external quality assessment conducted by TÜV NORD is that operators can realistically assess their current standard of quality and can appropriately demonstrate it both internally and externally.

            We offer a broad service portfolio for biogas plants:

            • Our experts assess the conformity of safety-related components and systems in particular, which, in turn, increases operational safety, legal security, and prevents subsequent problems.
            • We offer Materials testing
            • The construction and assembly supervision conducted by a third party inspection body, such as TÜV NORD, is a critical factor in ensuring that the specified quality is maintained and delays are avoided.
            • We assume the controlling and construction progress for new constructions.
            • We confirm warranty criteria and quality standards.
            • System certification is a wise choice to formulate conclusions about overall system quality. TÜV NORD has far-reaching methods and expertise in testing quality and performance criteria to certify the quality of biogas plants.

            MEASUREMENTS - Tracking emissions

            Our services at a glance:
            • Individual emission measurements in accordance with § 26 Federal Imission Control Act (BImSchG)
            • Individual emission measurements in accordance with § 28 Federal Imission Control Act (BImSchG)
            • Individual emission measurements in accordance with 17th, 27th and 30th Federal Immission Control Act Ordinances (BImSchV)
            • Emission measurements for a special reason: Warranty issues, measurements on testing systems, proof of limited value compliance to guarantee bonuses, etc.
            • Measurements and tests in accordance with 2nd Federal Immission Control Ordinance (BImSchV) (chemical purification and surface treatment systems)
            • Working base: various Federal Imission Control Ordinances (BImschG)
            INSPECTIONS - Playing it safe
            Producing energy from biomass can be immensely dangerous: many intermediate and end products are explosive, combustible, or toxic. To stay on the safe side and satisfy official requirements, TÜV NORD provides safety inspections prior to commissioning.
          • Planning, design, and approval
             

          • PROFITABILITY ASSESSMENT - Ensuring profit on investments
            The technology of biogas plants is both sophisticated and proven. However, this does not automatically mean that plant operation is profitable. TÜV NORD lets investors know whether operating such plants is worthwhile.

            AUTHORIZATION PROCEDURES - Guide through the official jungle

            Acquiring timely approval for the construction, operation or expansion of a large plant without using professional assistance can cost a lot of time and money.

            Our experts give you approval management assistance and provide you with reliable support to ensure you receive your approval.

            We possess many years of know-how in all the requirements and statutory provisions concerning plant construction.
            Our experts undergo frequent training in order to help you remain right up to date.

            ENVIRONMENTAL COMPATIBILITY TESTS - In line with natural laws
            Given our long-standing and extensive experience in the assessment of installations and in licensing management useful synergy effects are available during the conduct of the environmental impact study (EIS) or the environmental impact assessment (EIA). We offer all the necessary services on a one-stop basis even for complex projects.

            NOISE PROTECTION - Noise estimates
            On the basis of our many years of experience and measurement equipment, we can help you satisfy the legal requirements and implement your special needs. The respective measures are optimised and assessed while taking economic factors into consideration. 

            SAFETY AND INCIDENT CONCEPTS - Well prepared with sound safety
            In order to allow system operators to effectively minimise their technical risks and to ensure that they are ideally equipped for emergencies, we develop safety concepts for the sites, equipment, framework conditions of the authorisation law, technical regulations, and disaster prevention.

            ODOUR ESTIMATES - The right insight

            For a forecast, odour emissions are projected from odour-relevant system data or agricultural companies (operating times, source levels, number of animals, quantity of exhaust air, etc.) published values and odour-specific data from a variety of measurements of odour emissions taken by our experts. Together with site-specific meteorological data, we conduct a propagation calculation to calculate the odour emissions in the system's environment. These odour emissions tell us how often a system is smelled in neighbouring residential homes. This frequency forms the basis of the assessment as to whether the odours could present a significant nuisance level.

        • Biomass and alternative fuels

        • Our energy for your biomass plant

          Fossil fuels such as oil, oal, and natural gas are becoming scarcer; there is a growing need to transform biomass into a comparable source of energy. Here, TÜV NORD is an independent partner with experience and expert knowledge: We support you in your biomass projects and investments – from planning, installation, and commissioning, to operation.

          We have developed specific expertise in appraising and assessing biogas and biomass plants, based on longstanding experience in providing support for power generation plants – thus optimising cost-effectiveness, safety, and availability.

          We know what permits and inspections are needed for the construction and operation of a biomass plant, and know all the possibilities of state support and remuneration. We can help you to fulfill legal requirements regarding environmentally dangerous, toxic, explosive or inflammable intermediate and end products. In addition, we answer the question whether the predicted yield and profitability in subsequent years can be expected, and where money can be saved.

          The technology of biogas and biomass plants has matured and has been tested – to operate safely and profitably, the experts at TÜV NORD stand competently at your side.

            • Photovoltaics

            • Security as plain as day

              If the power of the sun is used to generate energy, safety has to come first: numerous standards outline what requirements photo-voltaic products have to fulfil. The "TÜV NORD type-tested" symbol ensures safety and guarantees compliance with the the respective product standard and the rules of good technological practice.

              Full service for manufacturers, importers and comprehensive suppliers

              TÜV NORD CERT offers design approval and certification of photovoltaic modules and power converters forming part of photovoltaic energy systems according to EN 61730-1, EN 61730-2, EN 61215 and prEN 62109-1 for relevant manufacturers, importers and suppliers of complete systems. The service comprises the execution of type approval testing, the initial inspection of the production site, the issue of the test symbol and manufacturing monitoring control measures.

              Strong arguments in favour of marketing

              The TÜV NORD CERT test symbol is renowned and recognised as a sign of quality and safety in Europe and many other countries throughout the world. The symbol indicates that the statements of the manufacturer and the product requirements have been tested by a neutral expert. Hence, the symbol supports the credibility of product information; therefore, it provide a competitive edge over non-certified products. For manufacturers, certification also makes an effective contribution towards reducing the product liability risk.

                • Grid conformance

                • Grid code compliance of renewable energy generation units

                  Grid code compliance relates to the assessment of renewable energy generation units which are to be connected to the distribution network. On the primary side, these units may generate power from wind, photovoltaics, water, natural gas or biogas. Power storage units are also subject to grid code compliance.

                  The requirements were defined based on the following safety objectives:

                  • System stability
                  • Voltage tolerance
                  • Voltage quality

                  Experience and efficiency – TÜV NORD is your competent partner

                  TÜV NORD CERT was accredited as early as 2009 for auditing according to the network connection directives, for example the Medium Voltage Directive, and also already offers network connection certification according to ISO/IEC 17065 (formerly DIN EN 45011). Our staff have comprehensive experience based on numerous completed projects in the areas of generation unit certificates, component certificates and plant certificates. In addition, for many years our engineers have been members of various associations working in the field of network connection, such as BDEW, FGW and VDE|FNN, VDE|DKE. They are also personally accredited by BDEW and FGW.

                  TÜV NORD CERT offers services related to network connection for the following target group:

                  Target Group

                  • Plant designers, plant construction engineers and plant operators
                  • Manufacturers – Network connection
                  • Manufacturers – Electrical safety
                  • Component manufacturers
                  • Network operators

                  Services

                  • Plant certification
                  • Unit certification
                  • Component certification
                  • Product certification
                  • Other services in the field of network connection
                    • Wind energy

                    • New ideas for a traditional technique

                      Using wind to generate energy has been a technique used since ancient times. It ranged from simple wind wheels, wind mills throughout to sailing ships. The technology currently used focuses primarily on wind power systems with three-blade rotors in onshore and offshore facilities. With comprehensive services from a single source, TÜV NORD is dedicated nationally and internationally to this future-oriented and environmentally-friendly form of energy generation.

                      Numerous tasks – one contact partner

                      The TÜV NORD services also include the certification and inspection of wind power systems in the areas of planning, manufacture and operation. These include:

                      • Certification of systems and system components
                      • Production inspections
                      • Site appraisals, project inspections, due diligence examinations, ground expert reports
                      • Performance curve measurements and acoustic inspections
                      • Quality management
                      • Risk and damage assessments
                      • Acceptance testing and regular inspections
                        • Testing

                        • Connected with the base

                          Any technology is only as good as its scientific basis. This applies both to the research for new discoveries and to realistic testing of the products that result. TÜV NORD engineers are actively improving the development of wind turbines in collaboration with research institutes and recognised testing institutions. 

                          An expression of these activities can be found in our cooperation with scientific research institutes as well as internationally renowned companies in the field of materials testing.

                        • Technical testing

                        • With sense and sensibility

                          A sound examination of wind energy systems during manufacture, assembly and operation makes a decisive contribution towards the functional safety when operating systems. Here, the systematic and prudent interweaving of all technical and commercial measures plays a decisive role. The TÜV NORD engineers and technicians focus on this responsible task with a broad and equally deep range of services. For manufacturers and operators, the result means that they have a competent, reliable contact partner for a wide ranges of services.

                        • Appraisal

                        • Wait and see

                          Just as demanding as the requirements for the production of wind turbines are the analyses and tests carried out on their planned future location and their economic efficiency. These do not solely consider factors associated with the wind flow conditions at the site. Many other site conditions will affect the safety, environmental compatibility, and economic viability of a wind power project. Regardless of whether it is a single turbine or a wind farm.

                        • Certification

                        • Certificate for a solid position

                          Modern wind power systems are technically complex major projects which are in part subjected to tremendous structural loads. There are numerous legal and technical planning and manufacturing guidelines and processes.

                          The experienced TÜV NORD specialists and the modern technical equipment cover the entire spectrum of services for certifying new wind power system types and hence securing successful market entry for complete systems or individual components.

                      • Power Up Your Wind Business

                              • Key-Success Factors and Barriers

                              • What are the targets and motivations in wind energy business?
                                - Use of alternative and decentralise energy sources
                                - Less dependence from hydrocarbons and utilities
                                - Mid and long-term investments with attractive ROI
                                - Expansion of know-how and technology
                                - Available and reliable equipment
                                - Environmental protection
                                - Political influence

                                What are the key-success factors?
                                What is it all about?


                                - the optimum wind turbines
                                - need to be optimally arranged
                                - at the optimum place
                                - and operated at their optimum conditions

                                What are potential barriers and risks to miss the optimum?

                                - Feed-in tariffs / access & compatibility to grid
                                - Weak partners (e.g. competence, experience...)
                                - Lack of local acceptance (e.g. population, politics...)
                                - Slow processes / processing (delay of approvals & permissions)
                                - Sub-optimal wind conditions / wrong assumptions
                                - Limiting site conditions (e.g. topography, geology)
                                - Efficiency consuming effects (e.g. turbulences, wake etc.)
                                - Poor quality or quality assurance (e.g. design, materials, manufacturing)
                                - Missing or failing safety measures
                                - Incompatibility within equipment or interfaces

                                TÜV NORD provides comprehensive methods, expertise and experience in quality assurance, inspections, certifications as well as engineering to help you through.
                                • Services for Profitable Wind Power Generation

                                • In wind energy TÜV NORD is serving almost all international manufacturers of wind turbines as one of the leading accredited certification bodies’ world wide. Certifications are carried out according to all international certification guidelines like IEC, EN, GL, Danish approval scheme, DIBt and TAPS. During the certification process TÜV NORD assesses the design of the whole wind turbine including the load assumptions, the safety concept and all components
                                  which gives certainty to the design departments of wind turbines manufacturers. Furthermore TÜV NORD undertakes the required manufacturing evaluation including the quality management system (ISO) – which is necessary for a type certification – as well as different measurements within the type testing. The certification can also be done for separate components like gear boxes, rotor blades, generators and more and therefore helps the manufacturers of these to get access to the wind market. The necessary gear box prototype test can be carried out on our own gear box test stand being operated by our TÜV NORD group sister company DMT.

                                  Wind farm planners, operators or financers make use of the broad experience of TÜV NORD and enjoy the whole spectrum of project related assessment services from one hand:

                                  - Due Diligences
                                  - Project certifications
                                  - Comparison of site conditions with certification of turbines ( acc. to IEC WT01)
                                  - Assessments of resources / wind potential maps / energy yield prognosis
                                  - Soil assessments, foundation consultancy, building surveillance
                                  - Sound immission prognoses, shadow flicker analyses
                                  - Turbulence reports
                                  - Environmental impact studies
                                  - Risk analyses
                                  - 3-D flow calculations
                                  - Compliance with local grid codes /
                                  - LVFRT measurements
                                  - Assessment of grid connection concepts
                                  - Manufacturing inspections of components or whole turbines
                            • Foundation Design Consultancy for Wind Turbines

                                    • Geotechnical Investigation

                                    • A safe and economic foundation design is the basis for all construction projects, not only for wind turbine. The reliability of all further structural components and service installations depend on a successful foundation design. During the last
                                      20 years rotor diameters of wind turbines have increased from 20 m to 120 m, hub heights from 30 m to 130 m and the electrical power production from 75 kW to 5.000 kW. Modern wind turbines with their large hub heights and large rotor diameters produce extremely high bearing loads and have stringent requirements which must be fulfilled by the subsoil. This must be carefully checked by geotechnical experts; otherwise the consequences might be damage to the foundation base or the loss of the wind turbine itself.

                                      TÜV NORD Group has a lot of experience and references in the field of site investigations and foundation design consultancy for wind farm projects. Worldwide our experts do site investigations for the planning of wind farm projects. These are our geotechnical services for investors, project developers and turbine manufacturers:
                                      - Geological desk studies
                                      - Special types of drillings, borings and soundings
                                      - Soil mechanical laboratory tests
                                      - Geophysical investigation methods
                                      - Structural safety calculations
                                      - Quality and safety management
                                      - Inspection of the excavation pits
                                      - Geotechnical reports
                                • CERTIFIED ENERGY EFFICIENCY

                                • Winning over customers

                                  Manufacturers of electrical products for industry who want to win over customers have to focus increasingly on energy efficiency. A particularly important aspect is the electrical efficiency factor, which relates to energy consumption during operation. With “Efficiency tested” certification, TÜV NORD CERT offers manufacturers of electrical machinery, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) equipment and other industrial items the opportunity to demonstrate the good ecological design of their products.

                                  More environmental protection – lower costs

                                  All equipment that is driven electrically or converts electrical energy is eligible for the certification process. Measurements are based on Directive 2009/125/EC regarding ecodesign of energy-related products and further standards such as the new IEC 60034-30 for electric motors. Independent testing by TÜV NORD CERT and the associated test mark offer prospective purchasers a reliable means of comparison and show at first glance that energy-saving aspects were considered in the design of the equipment. This not only makes a contribution to environmental and climate protection, but also helps to reduce operating costs.