The Department of Energy (DOE), in its role as chair of the Inter-Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee, issued an advisory to government agencies on the mandatory implementation of energy efficiency and conservation programs and the strict observance of the government energy management program (GEMP).
The GEMP aims to achieve at least 10 percent savings in electricity and fuel consumption to help mitigate the adverse impacts of the Russia-Ukraine crisis and secure the availability of electricity during the summer months and the elections.
Projections of the DOE’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau show that a successful implementation of the GEMP can reduce electricity demand in the Luzon grid by up to 24 megawatts which is equivalent to P840 million cost of establishing a diesel power plant.
“We issued this advisory to highlight the role of energy efficiency and conservation (EEC) in ensuring the sufficiency of petroleum products’ supply amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis,” said DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi, in a statement.
Apart from the DOE, other government agencies mandated to follow the advisory issued on March 14 include the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
The DOE also enjoined government agencies to strictly implement the GEMP through the designation of an EEC officer or focal person, the regular submission of electricity and fuel consumption reports and the submission of reports in the observance of energy conservation practices.
Among the practices suggested by the DOE under GEMP are turning off of lights and computers during lunch breaks except in offices where no noon break policy is implemented and after office hours and whenever not in use; adjusting air-conditioning unit thermostat to not lower than 24 degrees Celsius; implementation of eight-hours-straight office operation whenever practical and applicable; activating sleep settings on office equipment; and keeping doors of air-conditioned spaces closed to maintain ambient temperature.
To validate the compliance of government agencies with the advisory, the DOE’s energy audit team will conduct random spot checks and issue corresponding energy ratings.
Alexander Ablaza, president of the Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance (PE2), said that the enforcement of EEC programs in the public sector will not only inspire a more significant response from the private sector but would also serve to accelerate and aggressively grow GEMP adoption.
However, Ablaza said the government may also enable energy service company (ESCO) performance contracting and third-party project investments in EEC projects hosted by government-owned facilities by removing policy barriers under the Government Procurement and Reform Act, the BOT Law and NEDA’s joint venture guidelines.
“Through more responsive procurement policies, government entities may be able to implement EEC projects sooner without allocating taxpayer funding or general appropriations. ESCO, public-private partnership and joint venture transactions will enable private sector capital, technological know-how and operational and maintenance expertise to be tapped for EEC projects of government-owned facilities,” Ablaza explained.
