Energy efficiency recertification seen boosting compliance with RA 11285

THE proposed recertification of energy efficiency practitioners will help them comply with their obligations under the Republic Act (RA) No. 11285 or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act, according to the Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance, Inc. (PE2).

“It would help energy efficiency practitioners remain true to their mission of helping the recently increased range of DEs (designated establishments) in the commercial, industrial and transport sectors comply with their obligations under RA 11285,” PE2 President Alexander D. Ablaza said in a Viber message.

“The recertification requirements demonstrate a linkage of EE practitioners’ work not only with DEs but also with the reporting and audit requirements of DEs,” he added.

The Department of Energy (DoE) drafted a department circular seeking the continuous implementation of the certification process for energy efficiency practitioners.

Energy auditors (EAs) and energy managers (EMs) should be certified with a validity of three years.

“The DoE was able to develop the training regulations for CEAs and CEMS which governed the initial phase of the certification,” according to the draft circular.

“Energy efficiency practitioners are still a scarce resource that need to be built up through time if the economy aspires to shave off up to 182 Mtoe (millions of tons of oil equivalent) by 2040 in energy savings due to energy efficiency improvements on the premises of DEs,” Mr. Ablaza said.

Mr. Ablaza said policy measures should be put in place to help the government monitor and ensure that certified energy efficiency practitioners are engaged in activities and not displaced and lost to other economic sectors.

“The PE2 generally supports the intent of the draft DoE department circular which imposes recertification requirements for certified energy managers, certified energy auditors, and certified energy conservation officers,” he said.

Mr. Ablaza has said that energy efficiency initiatives are needed to be acknowledged alongside renewable energy as an “energy resource” which also needs to put efforts into. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera