The global dimension of the energy transition

Abstract The paper highlights the global dimension of the energy transition and the crucial role of quality infrastructure. With a growing global population and rising energy consumption, the demand for electricity worldwide could almost double by 2050. This requires a fundamental shift from fossil energy systems to more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives. The energy transition involves not only technological but also societal transformations that enable the shift to renewable energy sources. A key facilitating and driving factor is quality infrastructure: it encompasses metrology, standardization, accreditation, conformity assessment, and market surveillance, enhancing the quality, safety, and environmental compatibility of products, services, and processes. The projects of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) International Cooperation contribute significantly to the development of a robust and reliable quality infrastructure that promotes international trust in products and services. Through close cooperation with global partners, internationally recognized cross-sector standards and good measurement and testing practices, for example, are developed to sustain free and fair trade while boosting safety and quality. This collaboration enables partner countries to establish their own national quality infrastructure, thus strengthening their position in global value chains and advancing the global energy transition. These complex interrelations are illustrated by examples from Vietnam and Tunisia.