v) The need
to have one- stop centre for EE in Malaysia
Why do we
need another body? Don't you think we have sufficient existing agencies to look
after EE for the country? Would there be overlapping works if we create a new
one and how to streamline everything at one body when energy itself is governed
by few ministries and agencies in term of policies and implementation. The
structure that I have shown in my post explained that concerns too.
For
many years, even since I came into this EE field...EE efforts have been
implemented by many parties and we can proudly say that..we have done a lot.I
can list hundreds of EE initiatives that I came across until today but can
anyone answer this question...how much energy exactly that we have saved from
millions of RM that spent on those initiatives? Who is accountable to monitor
the whole progress and current performance and if anyone claimed they have
achieved some amount of energy savings...who can verify and declare that as
apart of our nation's performance? My involvement in the National EE Master
plan study from 2008 until the time I left the government has clearly concluded
the same thing as one of the findings...MALAYSIA NEEDS A CENTRALIZED BODY FOR
EE...whether it is new or putting it at any existing body...it is secondary to
me.
As the
structure that I shared in the part 1 under the main title, there are 5 major
components which require attention from the centralized body namely buildings,industrial,competency&accreditation, education&awareness and
R&D in EE. Another three key areas to be taken care by the body;
managing the EE fund,EE data and final the enforcement of the EE law.
The existing
agencies or organizations such as Energy Commission, Malaysia Green Tech.
Corporation(MGTC and formerly PTM) and recently SEDA Malaysia have
implemented some EE measures so far under various programs and project but can
any of them take care all the above?
If any
of them or someone with the authority to make that happen, I have 200% support
for it. If no one is ready or still having reservations or still
unsure...Malaysia has no time to wait any longer.The longer we wait, we will
waste more and our nation's pocket will get lighter just to meet the need to
subsidize more for every single unit of energy that we use and waste too!
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| At BCA Academy, Singapore 2009 |
Having a
dedicated body for EE is already a proven model in many countries and the idea
to have in Malaysia is definitely not due to we just for the sake of following
others.The closet example is Japan where hundreds of Malaysian have been
trained in EE for years and from all the levels of people from policy makers to
technical personnel. Why we still hoping to get different positive results when
we keep doing it on piece meal basis by everyone for the past 20 years until
this moment...we do not even know how much we have achieved.
Policy
makers may not feel the hassle and difficulties when there is no one stop
center for EE in this country directly.It affects the users and industrial
players!Even energy regulators may not feel it because EE does not affect the
bottom line or competiveness for any of them although facts on our energy
needs, performance and current&future supply status are with them.
Why? May be
they are too busy focusing on the supply matters and all economic part of
supply side.Nothing wrong with that but now we need to balance it with the
attentions that need to be given to the demand side.
Having a new
agency or body may not be a good idea too since they will involve extra costs
when some existing agencies have already the foundation to carry on further.
For example , Energy Commission has already some regulatory powers in the
existing Energy Commission Act 2001, Electricity Supply Act 1990 and the
Efficient Management of Electrical Energy Regulations 2008 (EMEER 2008) as
described in the following sections:
ESA 1990
Section 4:
Functions And Duties
(la) to promote the efficient use of electricity
Part VA Efficient Use Of Electricity
Section 23a. Minister To Determine Standards, Etc.
The Minister may, from time to time, prescribe the standards,
specifications, practices and measures to be adopted and any other matters in
respect of the efficient use of electricity.
Section 23b. Installation To Meet Requirements.
No person shall use or operate any installation unless the installation
meets such requirements as may be prescribed in respect of the efficient use
of electricity.
Section 23c. Equipment To Meet Requirements.
No person shall manufacture, import, sell or offer for sale or lease any
equipment unless the equipment meets such requirements as may be prescribed in
respect of the efficient use of electricity.
ENERGY COMMISSION ACT 2001
Section 4
(g)
to promote efficiency, economy and safety in the generation, production,
transmission, distribution supply and use of electricity and the use of gas
through pipelines and the use of gas supplied through pipelines
(i)
to promote the use of renewable energy and the conservation of no-renewable
energy
(j)
to promote into, and the development and the use of new technologies related
to-
(i) the generation, production, transmission, distribution
supply and use of electricity;
and
(ii) the use of gas through pipelines and the use of gas
supplied through pipelines
Based on my knowledge, those statements in the
main act can serve as enablers to come up with specific
requirements for implementation that can be detailed in the form Regulations under
the act. However, over the years, what have been done generally were on
the promotional and awareness parts only on voluntary basis while the detailed regulatory portion of EE
haven't progress that much.
The EMEER 2008 was introduced in 2008 and now
implemented but it wasdrafted way back from 1997( the year I
graduated from university).The first draft was more comprehensive and covered
energy management, MEPS and also EE labeling but the final version only
covers the management and very general too.
 |
| EC Building in Putrajaya |
My point here, if EC would like become the
centralized body for EE, there should be a very significant and drastic changes to the
current EE set up to deliver what is required for the country to look after all components in EE industry.
The current has been clearly unable address the changing needs of EE industry in the country and for years, EE has never treated as one of their "core businesses" especially when it became a unit from a department since 2008.
I was involved partly in the set up of PTM in 1999 and prepared the capacity building program for the initial batch of the staff too. The idea of setting up PTM was to cater the needs of having one agency for EE too which would serve as a think-tank for strategic EE matters,coordination for implementation, R&D and many more. Now, I am not sure what really happened against what the initial intentions of it establishment since they are officially known for green related matters which have broader scopes.
 |
| MGTC Building in Bangi |
There are some suggestions to park EE under SEDA Malaysia which is currently responsible for RE Act and FiT for RE development in Malaysia but still no clear decisions on that matter too.
 |
| SEDA Malaysia at Galeria PjH Putrajaya |
The execution of the specified functions in the centralized body for EE need to be planned, strengthened and supported with the
utilization of existing institutions or organizations based on their already available
facilities and in-house expertise.
The centralized EE body will tie up with these
institutions or organizations and work together strategically in long term basis
with agreed terms and conditions.
Below
are some of the proposed scope of duties
for the EE Centralized EE Body that I
can share with all the readers here based on what I believe and from some readings and references in few countries that have been succesfully implementing EE initiatives.
General Scopes
- To advise and assist the government to develop EE policy, law and
regulations;
- As a one stop agency to coordinate, monitor and to ensure measurement and
evaluation to be carried out to determine the impacts from the implementation
of EE activities;
- To prepare, implement and to monitor all planned activities for EE
- To perform the regulatory works such as enforcement, investigation and
prosecution for no compliance of EE law, regulation and standards; and
- To coordinate and monitor all collaboration activities to be carried out
with agencies and organizations for local and international levels.
Scope of works need to be defined for based on the
core elements in the implementation of EE&EC activities and the details
is described in the followings
 |
| At TERI Gual Pahari, Gurgaon,India, 2008 |
Compliance and Technical Support for Designated
Buildings and Industrial Facilities
 |
| Training with ECCJ Expert in Kita-senju, Tokyo Japan,2008 |
- To perform evaluation and technical assessment for the compliance with EE law and regulations based of on
reports submitted by selected high energy
users on their EE
program;
- Monitoring and verification of compliance for high energy users based on
reports submitted;
- To provide assistance in technical supports in energy auditing and the implementation
of EE projects;
- To assist in the publication of guidelines on energy audit, EE
project implementation and management, best practices, energy management system
and etc;
- To assist in the development of standards for energy efficient equipment
and appliances;
- To carry out analysis or technical evaluation for projects that have been
implemented or on-going upon requests or required;
- To perform technical measurement and project monitoring works for EE projects;
- To provide expertise and experts
for training program delivery as speakers or facilitators; and
- To coordinate and monitor activities carried out by organizations appointed
to perform some of its functions
Competency and Accreditation
- To establish certification and accreditation procedures for energy
managers, energy auditor and energy services companies (ESCOs);
- To establish accreditation procedures covering selection, evaluation and
monitoring for institutes/training centers to carry out trainings for
competency;
- To prepare syllabus and materials for trainings;
- To identify trainers to conduct trainings;
- To prepare examination questions and conduct national level examination for
competencies;
- To manage registration and renewal of registration for competent persons
and ESCOs;and
- Assist in providing materials or input to increase awareness on the
requirements and the importance of competency and accreditation to implement EE activities.
 |
| With Key Officers on EE from Asean, Singapore 2011 |
Equipment and Appliances
- To carry out research on Minimum
Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) for selected equipment and appliances;
- To enhance, improve and continue the labeling program and promotion for refrigerators
and high efficiency motors;
- To have an established partnership program with relevant organizations to
carry out the research on standard, labeling
and to provide testing facilities;
- To develop and decide on standards to be used in energy efficient
appliances;
- To establish procedures for approval and certification of energy efficient equipment
and to implement the standard and labeling program;
- Assisting in on-going promotion of the energy efficient standards and
labeling program to manufacturers, importers and general public about types of
label introduced;
- To coordinate and monitor activities carried out by organizations appointed
to perform some of its functions such as SIRIM for testings.
Education and Awareness
- To coordinate the implementation and monitoring of educational, campaign and promotional activities for industries
and public carried out by the body and other organizations;
- To carry out evaluation on each program on all activities implemented in
order to measure their performance;
- To ensure dissemination of information
with regard to the requirements for competencies, standard and labeling
for energy efficient equipment, the importance of efficient energy
management and energy auditing, best
practices in energy usage, new technologies and many more;
- To establish cooperation with relevant educational agencies such as
Curriculum Development Center in order to enhance the contents with regard to
EE in school syllabus;
- To propose to the Ministry of Higher Learning to introduce EE
courses at universities in order to produce professionals and experts in EE field;
- To introduce recognition and reward programs for individual and
organization on their significant contributions or the implementation of
project with regard to EE;
- To publish and distribute brochures, guidelines and etc with regard to EE
to all sectors of energy users; and
- To coordinate and monitor activities carried out by organizations appointed
to perform some of its functions such as CETREEE.
R&D and
Technology Applications.
- To identify areas in EE and carry out R&D activities;
- To establish cooperation or strategic partnership programs with various
agencies at local and international levels with regard to research and new
technology applications in EE;
- To develop and assist in the publication
of guidelines on EE;
- To identify and showcase demonstration projects on EE and its
accomplishment;
- To develop, introduce and maintain centralized database systems for energy
sectors;
- To assist in the development of standards and introduction of new technology
in energy efficient equipment; and
- To coordinate and monitor activities carried out by organizations appointed
to perform some of its functions such as universities and research institutes.
 |
| At Solar Research Centre, Gual Pahari , India |
Other scopes would cover the management&distribution of the EE funds, enforcement of the EE Law and accountable for EE
related data for the country.
I we go to Japan, whoever performing EE initiatives, finally they would have to come across Energy Conservation Centre of Japan(ECCJ) for any EE technical reference, assistance, trainings and etc.For energy related data in Japan, they have the Institute of Energy Economic of Japan.
If we go to India, there will be Bureau of Energy Efficiency as a regulator and technical related matters can be referred to bodies like The Energy & Resources Institute(TERI). Then, if we go to Singapore, for building EE matters can be referred to BCA for and in Thailand they have the Department of Alternative Energy Development&Efficiency(DEDE) and the details about them can be referred at websites as below:
http://www.asiaeec-col.eccj.or.jp/index.html
http://eneken.ieej.or.jp/en
The structures, responsibilities and accountability for EE in these countries are clear and made known to everyone. People and industrial players know where to refer but sadly in our country, the moment you want pursue EE related matters you may need to go partly to endless list and finally you may end with nothing too despite time have been spent for your searches.
The immediate example is, if you want to apply for EE&RE Fiscal Incentives, you have to go to MIDA and later to be forwarded to EC for EE and last MBIPV Project Team for RE products. At each stop, no one can assure you the actual time frame when you will get the decision for your applications.However, they may have improved now...I don't know.
Until today, still no decision made on who is suppose to be responsible and accountable on EE and the more we delay it, it will definitely putting uncertainty in the industry itself because we have to listen to many with different ideas and opinions on what's the best.
Finally, my point here again, we need the centralized and competent body for the implementation of EE matters or a dedicated body to look after each component or some components in EE industry in Malaysia and that has been a proven working model in many countries.
