THE DEPARTMENT of Energy (DoE) said on Monday that the government saved around 31 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in electricity usage, equivalent to P365 million in cost savings, in the first quarter (Q1).
In a statement, the DoE said that more than a billion liters of fuel have been conserved, resulting in almost P35 million in savings.
The reported electricity savings are higher compared to P205 million or an equivalent of over 20 GWh in the first quarter of 2023.
“Deploying strategies to enhance energy efficiency in government buildings and facilities could lead to substantial savings for the government, create new jobs, and reduce carbon emissions,” the department said.
According to the DoE Energy Utilization Management Bureau, some of the strategies employed include the intensive implementation of Republic Act 11285, or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Act.
The DoE said it also aggressively promoted EE&C technology, conducted energy audits to identify areas for improvement, and set energy reduction targets, among other measures.
In January, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. issued Administrative Order (AO) 15, directing government agencies to accelerate the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP).
GEMP aims to reduce the government’s electricity and fuel consumption by at least 10% through energy efficiency and conservation initiatives.
AO 15 operationalizes the EE&C Act for all government entities within the executive branch, including government-owned and -controlled corporations, government financial institutions, their subsidiaries, and state universities and colleges.
The DoE said it will kick off its first regional GEMP summit for EE&C professionals on July 23 in Mandaue City, Cebu.
The summit aims to address challenges and seize opportunities in implementing EE&C projects in government establishments.
It will also highlight best practices in energy efficiency applicable to the government, as well as processes for formulating EE&C plans for local government units and other entities.
“EE&C professionals in the public sector have a dual responsibility — to lead by example and to inspire broader societal change. By demonstrating the tangible benefits of energy management, this summit will foster momentum for the wider adoption of sustainable solutions and practices within the government sector,” Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said.
Sought for comment, Alexander D. Ablaza, president of the Philippines Energy Efficiency Alliance, Inc. (PE2), said that the first DoE-led GEMP summit would be “an excellent opportunity” for the DoE to understand the early progress of government entities in designating their EE&C professionals and having them trained.
“PE2 believes that GEMP will ultimately achieve a significantly larger reduction in final energy consumption after capacitating EE&C professionals, who in turn will plan and implement their respective energy efficiency improvement programs and projects,” he said in a Viber message. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
