Apec eyes energy efficiency roadmap

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Senior officials from member-states of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) will draft a roadmap that would promote energy efficiency measures and push for environment-friendly development across the region.

At the opening of the 46th Experts Group on Energy Efficiency and Conservative (EGEEC) Meetings on Monday, Energy Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos said that discussions over the next two days would focus largely on defining key issues that need to be addressed and opportunities that Apec economies can take advantage of.

The output of the meetings are expected to help senior Apec officials in drafting the roadmap in October.

“For this 46th meeting, we have identified priority areas for discussion as stated in the agenda, namely, energy efficiency and best practices in buildings; harmonization of energy efficiency test methods for refrigerators in the Apec region; harmonization of standards and enhancing technical capacity in measurement and verification of energy savings of projects and the like; vehicle fuel efficiency labeling and re-information schemes; energy efficiencies, policies and programs; and energy intensity and renewable energy goals, among other things,” Marcos said.

The Philippines, according to Marcos, has come up with an energy efficiency roadmap and a corresponding energy efficiency and conservation action plan that will be implemented from 2016 to 2020.

“This roadmap is envisioned to be the masterplan of the Philippine Department of Energy in achieving energy efficiency and conservation programs and activities to higher levels and define the role of government in coming up with a range of measures aimed at improving energy efficiency, driven by legislative orders and decrease targeting energy saving programs. We have identified five energy intensive sectors in our action plan, namely, the transport industry, commercial and residential buildings, among others,” Marcos told Apec officials.

The Philippines has been aggressively promoting the massive use of renewable energy which it targets to more than double the RE-installed capacity to 15,300 megawatts by 2030 from the 5,542 MW recorded in 2010.

Marcos noted that the government was able to save 1.6-million tons of oil equivalent in 2013 due to its energy savings programs.

“At the end of the meetings, I hope that we can grow a sustainable framework and show how Apec EGEEC supports the Apec community push for energy efficiency and conservation, as well as show how we can all support each other, reinforce each other in the area of information sharing, capacity building and replication of initiatives,” he said.

The EGEEC is a biannual forum of Apec member-economies that promotes energy conservation and application of energy efficiency practices and technologies as the group’s contribution to the international efforts in reducing the adverse impacts of increasing energy production and consumption.

Later this week, senior Apec officials will discuss measures to improve the quality of infrastructure across the region, as they highlight its key role in fueling economic growth.

“Apec recognizes the importance of quality infrastructure in economic growth of the Asia-Pacific, not only in physically connecting the region but also in ensuring the efficient movement of goods, services and people between and within borders,” Apec said in a statement.

“Quality infrastructure directly supports efficient transportation and telecommunications services, air and sea ports, customs procedures, energy distribution, farm-to-fork logistics, among other things,” it added.

Infrastructure development and financing was identified as one of the four pillars of the Cebu Action Plan on a Financial Roadmap, which will be launched by the Apec finance ministers next week.

The 10-year plan calls on member economies to set regional standards for public-private partnership (PPP) terms and practices as well as maximize PPP’s role in infrastructure investment through collaboration with international organizations, such as the Asian Development Bank, World Bank and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.