ECCP, PEZA urge efficient use of energy

MANILA, Philippines - The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) has forged a partnership with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to encourage locators in economic zones to invest in energy efficiency.

ECCP president Michael Raeuber and PEZA director general Lilia de Lima signed the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) prescribing procedures and guidelines for the Energy Smart program.

The ECCP’s Energy Smart program is a campaign that would provide companies with measures that would result in significant energy savings in their operations as well as make them competitive in the international market.

“Under the IRR, locators are encouraged to implement energy efficiency and conservation measures leading to power cost reduction and energy related revenue generation measures,” the ECCP said.

The IRR would allow the Energy Smart team of the ECCP to facilitate the conduct of energy audits through its accredited service and technology providers.

The Energy Smart program would also recommend actions to companies that would lead to reductions in energy usage.

“Evidence has shown that investments in energy efficiency can lead up to a 30-percent reduction in energy consumption and that pay-back period for the investment can be as short as six months and rarely exceeds three years,” the ECCP said.

The PEZA, for its part, would be responsible for encouraging all locators to undertake the energy audit.

All locators would be required to submit monthly reports on the status and implementation of the program.

Based on the monthly reports, the Energy Smart team of the ECCP would come up with an annual comprehensive report on the status, challenges, as well as future directions of the program.

The Energy Smart program was launched in 2010 by the ECCP with the view that the country’s competitiveness is strongly linked to the pursuit of energy efficiency and sustainability.