The Department of Energy (DOE) will push for the passage of the Energy Efficiency Bill as it would significantly reduce energy consumption and conserve the country’s power supply.
At the sidelines of the 1st Philippine Energy Efficiency Forum (PEEF) 2011 Cebu on Tuesday, DOE Undersecretary Loreta Ayson told reporters her department wanted energy efficiency and consumption measures legislated.
“The energy department is pushing for the approval within this 15th Congress,” she said. However, Ayson also acknowledged that it would take time to approve the bill.
As part of the Energy Reform Agenda, Ayson said the DOE is continuously enticing energy-intensive companies to adopt best practices and energy-efficient technologies to significantly reduce energy consumption.
She said one way to manage the country’s energy supply amid the current power problem is through conservation.
DOE is also seeking the mandate to develop efficiency standards for household appliances and monitoring its compliance. Ayson said they are hoping for an executive order to be issued this year for DOE to be given such mandate.
It is the Department of Trade and Industry’s Bureau of Public Standards (BPS) that currently has the mandate to develop, implement, and coordinate standardization activities in the country.
The BPS is tasked with standards development, product certification and standards implementation and promotion.
“We are in talks with DTI about this matter,” Ayson said.
According to Raquel Huliganga, DOE Energy Research and Testing Laboratory Services director, what DOE currently handles are the tests and certification/labeling of products for energy performance. The BPS, on the other hand, tests standards to ensure quality and safety of the products.
Huliganga said the DOE recently expanded the standards and labeling for household appliances to include television, washing machine, and bigger refrigerators.
Ayson said DOE pushed for the expansion of the labeling program to inform consumers to purchase energy-efficient appliances and products. The government energy labels are meant to help buyers make informed decisions when buying appliances.
Although cost would be a main concern among consumers, Ayson said they would also warn the public about the benefits of energy-efficient products.
Awareness
DOE will also launch its “Do Right Be Bright” campaign to raise awareness on energy-efficient products.
DOE was one of the partner agencies of the first PEEF in Cebu held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotels and Casino. The forum was held to help consumers find cost effective solutions and technology.
The event is led by the European of Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP) in partnership with International Finance Corp. The forum focused on energy efficiency from the business perspective of enterprises in the utilities, buildings, commercial, industrial, and transport/logistics sectors.
Gerry Constantino, ECCP assistant vice president for operations, said during this talk that “green business is good business” not because it is a fad but because of the global call for sustainability. He said sustainable products are more profitable than conventional ones.
