PE2 sees minimal US trade policy impacts on EE market in PERPI forum
TAGUIG CITY, 16 June 2025 - Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance (PE2) president Alexander Ablaza told energy sector stakeholders earlier today that the non-profit organization anticipates minimal impacts on the energy efficiency market in the Philippines arising from the emerging trade policies of the United States.
Ablaza was invited by the Philippine Energy Research and Policy Institute (PERPI) to join a Session 4 panel discussion of an energy forum entitled “Renewables vs. Fossil Fuels: Energy Pricing, Contestable Market, and New US Policies” at the University of the Philippines BGC Auditorium. The event gathered experts, regulators, utilities, and academics to discuss urgent issues in energy pricing, electricity market reforms, and the geopolitical implications of changing U.S. energy policies. Joining him in the panel discussion were PERPI director Atty. Jose M. Layug Jr. as moderator and Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA) chairperson Theresa Cruz-Capellan as discussant.
The PE2 head said that Philippine imports of energy efficiency equipment, components and software licenses from the US market will certainly become less competitive for the building and industrial end-user market, especially because the US will still need to import significantly-sized components from other countries.
Ablaza explained, “Protecting our energy efficiency sector from such price shock is the fact that most equipment imports in the recent years, including those of a few US brands, are sourced directly from China, Japan, Europe and ASEAN-based suppliers.”
“What the US tariff policy regime may result in, especially for US-sourced energy efficiency technologies, is the shift from self-financed purchases toward off-balance sheet procurement models, especially energy service company (ESCO) performance contracts, to be able to spread the US price increases across a longer investment horizon,” Ablaza stressed during the panel discussion.
PE2 also believes that other international development agencies may fill the void of technical assistance grants for energy efficiency market barrier removal very abruptly created by the closure of energy and climate change programs funded by the US Agency for International Development.
