Boost investment in energy efficiency, PH urged

The British Embassy in Manila has urged government agencies, businesses and households in the Philippines to reduce energy waste and cut power bills through investments in energy efficiency.

Trevor Lewis, Chargé d’ Affaires at the British Embassy in Manila, also affirmed the United Kingdom’s willingness to share its experience in implementing energy efficiency measures, such as the Green Deal and Smart Meter programs.

In a message he shared during a recent forum, Lewis stressed the need to pursue energy efficiency investments as global demand for energy is rapidly increasing, particularly in large emerging market economies like the Philippines.

“Our global need for traditional fossil fuels leaves us open to volatile prices, deepens our dependence on imported energy and generates greenhouse gases which could lead to global temperature rises of more than 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level,” he noted.

This is why in the UK, the government is implementing, among other measures, the Green Deal program that offers cashback deals to those that will undertake energy efficient improvements in their homes and buildings.

Smart Meters are also being rolled out to help UK consumers manage energy use and  budgets.

“I understand that the Philippines has the second  most expensive energy in Asia after Japan, so I could see how a Smart Meter program could also work here,” Lewis added.

The local version of the UK’s smart meter program is the prepaid retail electricity scheme, which is being tested.