DOE and PE2 reach out to Danish EE businesses
TAGUIG CITY, 25 June 2020 – The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance (PE2) reached out to Danish energy efficiency (EE) businesses and end-users, highlighting the EE opportunities in the Philippines in a webinar hosted by the Royal Danish Embassy Manila earlier today.
Director Patrick T. Aquino of the DOE Energy Utilization Management Bureau and PE2 president Alexander Ablaza took turns in sharing their perspectives on EE opportunities arising from the passage of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Act in the Philippines.
The DOE presentation explained the salient features of the EE&C Act, which include the certification of EE practitioners and ESCOs, minimum energy performance, the obligations of designated establishments, the Government Energy Management Program and the fiscal incentives for EE project investments.
Ablaza delivered a quick introduction on PE2, emphasized the imperative to deploy EE as the economy’s first fuel, and presented opportunities for the government and the private sector to collaborate in the financing and implementation of energy efficiency projects for public sector facilities. Ablaza also discussed the various financing modalities, and how innovative mechanisms such as energy service company (ESCO) performance contracting, public-private partnership transactions and other off-balance sheet capital flows can contribute significantly to the country’s targeted USD 243 billion EE&C capital mobilization through 2040.
During the open forum, Ablaza clarified that 100% foreign-owned ESCOs and EE projects can operate and avail of incentives for EE projects and entities registered under the laws of the Philippines. Danish ESCOs and EE businesses were very much welcome to support the development of more EE project opportunities across various energy end-use sectors in the country through knowledge, technologies, solutions, business models and capital. The PE2 head recognized the active participation of Danfoss in the Alliance.
Carmelo Centeno of Filinvest Land shared the property developer’s aspirations to build green communities such as the New Clark City project.
Reza Dadufalza-Goyeneche of the Royal Danish Embassy Manila served as moderator of the discussions.
