The EMPIR programme coordinated research projects that addressed grand challenges, while supporting and developing the International System of measurement units (the SI)

As a result of the research carried out within the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR), many of the projects in the 2019 EMPIR Call produced good practice guides. These guides are used in industry, academia, healthcare and laboratories – where they improve the quality and reliability of measurement.

Some of the projects that produced good practice guides are shown below.

EMPIR Call 2019: Projects and their good practice guides

1. Radon metrology for use in climate change observation and radiation protection at the environmental level (19ENV01, traceRadon) developed traceable measurements for low-level atmospheric radon along with a reference-standard radon monitor, with results validated using long-term, field-based inter-comparisons.

- Good Practice Guide including a standard protocol for the measurement of radon flux and atmospheric activity concentration for application in the radon tracer method for greenhouse gas flux estimates and for its application to derive data for Radon Priority Areas

2. Metrology for low-frequency sound and vibration (19ENV03, Infra-AUV) developed new primary calibration methods for airborne and underwater acoustic, and vibration sensing systems down to frequencies below 0.1 Hz.

- Measurement traceability for seismo-acoustic and hydroacoustics sensor systems deployed in the International Monitoring System

3. Stable isotope metrology to enable climate action and regulation (19ENV05, STELLAR) provided improved CO₂, and the first ever CH₄ reference materials linked to the SI through international isotope ratio scales.

- Good practice guide for specification and application of OIRS for atmospheric measurements, including sample handling protocol, optimised analytical procedures, traceability to the international standards and target uncertainties (0.05 ‰ for δ13C-CO₂ and δ18O-CO₂)

- Good practice guide for accurate methane isotope ratio measurements using laser spectroscopy: analyser characterisation and statement of uncertainty with a target precision of 0.2 ‰ for δ13C (CH₄) and 1 ‰ for δ 2H (CH)₄

- Good practice guide on monitoring stations / gas handling for carbon dioxide and methane isotope analysis, and achieved in-field compatibility between different OIRS and IRMS with a target precision of 0.05 ‰ for δ 13C-CO₂ and δ 18O-CO₂

4. Metrology for future energy transmission (19ENG02, FutureEnergy) developed new methods and hardware to extend traceable measurements for ultra-high voltage grids.

- Good practice guide on characterisation methods for UHV lighting impulse dividers

5. Metrology for hydrogen vehicles 2 (19ENG04, MetroHyVe 2) developed a metrological, traceable framework for testing hydrogen dispensing meters at hydrogen refuelling stations.

- Good practice guide for representative sampling and analysis of particulate matter in hydrogen fuel dispensed from hydrogen refuelling stations

- Good practice guide for hydrogen quality sampling procedures/methods at HRS nozzles (harmonised with USA and Japan)

6. High throughput metrology for nanowire energy harvesting devices (19ENG05, NanoWires) devised new measurement methods to better understand the performance of energy harvesting devices based on vertical nanowires, including in solar cells.

- Methodology for MEMS-fixing platform and multi-probe measurements of individual NWs

- Methodology for NW thermal measurements

- Quantitative nanomaterial testing using quasi-static and dynamic AFM methods

7. New metrological methods for biofuel materials analysis (19ENG09, BIOFMET) supported the introduction of faster, more accurate calculations of calorific value for solid and liquid biofuels. New measurement methods were studied, and advanced traceable measurement standards developed. 

- Good Practice Guidelines on uncertainty assessment of biofuel measurements

8. Knowledge transfer of planar calibration and measurement techniques at millimetre-wave frequencies (19SIP02, PlanarMeT) developed an industrial-level user guide detailing methods for making precise, reliable on-wafer calibrations. In conjunction with an industrial partner, the guide has been validated through a measurement comparison exercise. 

- Introductory guide to making planar S-parameter measurements at millimetre-wave frequencies

EMPIR projects are co-funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the EMPIR Participating States.

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