Philippines scores low on energy efficiency – World Bank

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines still has much leg room to improve on energy efficiency to fare better in achieving sustainable energy goals, a global indicator listing by the World Bank showed.

The country scored a total of 64 in the latest Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable Energy (RISE), a report card that evaluates quality of policies and regulations to support sustainable energy in terms of energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Among 111 countries assessed, the Philippines is in the upper part of the yellow zone.

RISE classifies countries into a green zone of strong performers in the top third, a yellow zone of middling performers, and a red zone of weaker performers in the bottom third.

Broken down into pillars of sustainable energy, the Philippines scored 82 in terms of energy access, 67 in renewable energy and only 42 in energy efficiency.

The study showed the country lacks legislation or a national action plan that aims to increase energy efficiency, financing mechanisms, performance standards and building codes.

It also needs to establish further incentives to undertake energy efficiency measures among large consumers and utilities.

With all of these indicators, this places the country among those where energy efficiency policies can be strengthened.

However, this is not something that is peculiar in the Philippines as scoring low in the energy efficiency aspect is a  “a uniform pattern globally,” Vivien Foster, practice manager for World Bank’s Energy and Extractives Sector, said in an interview with The STAR.

“In general, even worldwide, we found that almost all countries scored better on renewables than energy efficiency. Policymakers prioritizing renewables was somehow a little more harder for them to get motivated by,” she said.

True enough, the Philippines has yet to institutionalize rules for energy efficiency and conservation.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, Senate committee chairman for energy, has been conducting committee hearings on Senate Bill 30, a proposal to institutionalize energy efficiency and conservation policies.

Another pending measure is Senate Bill 525 or Government Buildings Energy Cost Reduction Act of 2016 filed by Senator Antonio Trillanes.

The Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance Inc. (PE2) – a non-stock, non-profit organization of energy efficiency market stakeholders composed of 27 companies – has also proposed to government to create a public-private-civil society collaborative platform, to be called the Philippine Council for an Energy-efficient Economy (PCE3).

The proposed council would provide strategic direction and catalyze long-term market transformation toward the continued adoption of energy- efficient technologies and EE&C practices, business models and financial mechanisms.

An initiative led by World Bank with Sustainable Energy for All, RISE provides a reference point to help policymakers benchmark their sector policy and regulatory framework against those of regional and global peers, and to develop policies and regulations that advance sustainable energy goals.

Countries are assessed in 27 indicators, updated every two years.