DOE plans stricter standards on energy efficiency

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Energy (DOE) plans to come out with a stricter minimum energy efficiency standard on consumer products as part of its commitment to Committee of Parties 21 (COP 21) talks.

The circular, called “Guidelines Implementing the Minimum Energy Performance (MEPS) and Strengthening the Philippine Energy Standards and Labeling Program (PESLP),” will form part of the Energy Efficiency Roadmap of the Philippines, DOE-Energy Efficiency and Conservation Division OIC-chief Artemio Habitan said in an interview with The STAR.

It will also implement energy efficiency and conservation efforts under the pending EE&C bill pending in Congress, the DOE official noted.

“The aim is to have lower consumption without sacrificing the productivity of the services or goods,” Habitan said. “Our target is, by the last week of March, the circular will be signed by the secretary.”

The draft circular will cover a wide range of consumer products classified under three areas, namely household, lighting and motor vehicles.

Under the measure, the DOE, through the Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB), will set the MEPS and conduct nationwide monitoring for compliance of importers, manufacturers, distributors and dealers of energy-consuming products.

A technical working group composed of government agencies and industry stakeholders will formulate and develop the said energy performance standards.

The DOE-Energy Research and Testing Laboratory Services(ERTLS), on the other hand, will establish testing of the products and validate required energy labels of these products.

The proposed circular is in line with the Philippines’ commitment in the COP 21 held last year in Paris, France.

“We have a participation there because it is a global effort. We are required to have a contribution to reduce the CO2 emission. The contributions we can do is under energy efficiency and the renewable energy utilization,” Habitan said.

It will also implement measures even prior to the passage of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) bill, the DOE official added.