September 5, 2025
Public institutions, nonprofit organizations and leading global companies, including UL Solutions, joined forces to develop a new report on energy resiliency published by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a regional economic forum that promotes sustainable growth and prosperity.
The report — Recommendations for Driving Trade & Investment for DC Power Systems and Microgrid Frameworks Through Public Policy Alignment — contains information on resolving technological, market and regulatory issues that could impede investment in these energy systems.
“Safety and security of energy infrastructure are paramount concerns for businesses and governments as they consider such investments,” according to the report. “If investments are not safe or secure, they are not viable in the long run and can endanger consumers.”
UL Solutions, a global leader in safety science, employs numerous leading experts on electrification and microgrid system technology. The company facilitated a two-day workshop in February during APEC meetings in Gyeongju, South Korea. The workshop led to the recently published APEC report, which serves as a resource for global stakeholders seeking to overcome investment challenges and promote safe, sustainable energy deployment.
Working alongside senior government and private sector representatives from APEC’s 21 member economies, UL Solutions aims to help minimize risks associated with new product development and accelerate innovation timelines.
“We view safety as a crucial part of powering innovation,” said Ken Boyce, vice president of principal engineering at UL Solutions. “Standardization and rigorous testing help build trust in new technologies and can speed the deployment of energy resources where they are needed most.”
The February workshop featured senior-level experts from business, government, academia, international organizations and nonprofits. These participants represented 17 countries and regions from around the world.
“We’re proud of our long-standing collaboration with APEC and will continue to bring our expertise to these important international efforts that improve quality infrastructure, enable innovation, and drive consumer safety,” said Ann Weeks, vice president of public affairs at UL Solutions.
Two UL Solutions experts — Rick Ziegler, director of trade and multilateral affairs, and Christian Roatta, lead for trade and multilateral affairs — delivered presentations and moderated panels alongside representatives from the World Trade Organization, Bloom Energy, GE Vernova, Korea Electric Power Corp., PQ Barcon, the American National Standards Institute and others.
Ziegler and Roatta guided discussions that emphasized the importance of conformity assessment frameworks and international standards in enabling safe, secure and sustainable investments.
The rise of distributed energy resources — such as rooftop solar, battery storage and fuel cells — is transforming how electricity is generated, stored, transmitted, consumed and traded around the world. The APEC event highlighted the potential of microgrids and DC power systems to meet these challenges and underscored the role that companies, policymakers and other key stakeholders play in enabling innovation while helping manage risk.
To learn more about APEC events and publications, visit its site. To learn more about UL Solutions’ services, visit the microgrid system technology page and the sustainability and environment page.
Photo caption (top): A new report provides recommendations for energy deployment in numerous economies, such as this solar power station in Thailand.
