KUASA DAN PILIHAN YANG SELALU KITA TIDAK PEDULIKAN

Definisi Kecekapan Tenaga - Tidak membazir tetapi masih selesa atau gunakan kurang dan masih tetap selesa

Kita sering mendengar tentang orang-orang tidak boleh hidup tanpa alat-alat teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi pada hari ini. Cuba bayangkan sehari tanpa telefon pintar anda atau komputer riba dengan sambungan internet.

Dunia kita  akan seolah-olah terhenti seketika  atau "mati" untuk sehari. Kita akan melakukan apa sahaja untuk memastikan telefon dan komputer riba kita dengan bateri boleh berfungsi sepanjang masa dan kita tidak keberatan untuk melabur lebih banyak untuk  mempunyai pengecas mudah alih atau bateri ganti  yang akan kita bawa sepanjang masa.

Dalam masa yang sama, jika anda ditanya soalan-soalan berikut

"Apa yang akan terjadi dengan hari  kita   tanpa tenaga atau tenaga kurang daripada yang biasa anda  perlukan?"

Apakah  jawapan kita dan apa yang kita  akan lakukan untuk memastikan kita mempunyai bekalan tenaga sepanjang masa untuk menjalani kehidupan yang normal sebagaimana alat-alat teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi yang kita ada.

Kebanyakan kita hanya percaya bahawa peranan utama kita dalam tenaga hanyalah untuk membayar bil untuk tenaga yang kita  gunakan untuk mengelakkan masalah dengan syarikat utiliti. Kita jarang merasakan kita mempunyai sebaarang kuasa untuk mengubah banyak perkara tentang tentang tenaga yang  kita gunakan setiap hari.

Berapa banyak kita fikirkan  atau bimbang tentang bagaimana kita menggunakan tenaga setiap hari?

Hakikatnya,apalah nilai telefon kita atau alat –alat teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi yang kita suka  jika kita sudah kurang atau  tanpa sumber tenaga pada suatu masa nanti?

Apakah nilai kenderaan mewah dan wang anda jika sumber tenaga yang ada adalah terhad atau tidak ada lagi  untuk kita  dan anak-anak kita  untuk digunakan pada masa akan datang yang akan datang?

Apa yang akan berlaku jika satu hari nanti kita perlu berjuang  atau bersusah-payah setiap hari semata-mata hanya untuk mendapatkan tenaga untuk perlu untuk kita digunakan? Perkara ini sudah pun berlaku di sesetengah negara di mana sumber tenaga yang terhad dan mahal menyebabkan rakyat negara mereka menghadapi kesukaran untuk menghadapi keadaan tersebut.

Setiap daripada kita menggunakan tenaga dan kita sering lupa bahawa kita mempunyai begitu banyak kuasa untuk sebagai individu dalam mempengaruhi cara kita  dan orang-orang di sekeliling kita menggunakan tenaga selain daripada hanya membayar bil-bil.

• Sebagai contoh, sebagai ketua keluarga, kita mempunyai kata putus mengenai bagaimana tenaga untuk digunakan di rumah.

Banyak peluang untuk menjimatkan tenaga di rumah dengan hampir semua peralatan 

memerlukan tenaga untuk berfungsi.

Tiada tempat yang lebih baik untuk mula menggunakan tenaga tanpa membazir selain di rumah

• Sebagai seorang pekerja, sikap dan amalan dalam menggunakan tenaga untuk stesen atau jentera kita bahawa kita beroperasi setiap hari di tempat kerja kita akan mempengaruhi berapa banyak organisasi anda akan mempunyai untuk membayar bil-bil tenaga.

Kita menghabiskan hampir 2/3 daripada hidup kita  bekerja dan pastinya kita  boleh menggunakannya dengan cekap.

• Sebagai pemilik perniagaan atau ketua organisasi, pastinya arahan dan keputusan kita tidak akan menghadapi  bantahan daripada pekerja dan kakitangan anda jika kita  mahu semua orang untuk menggunakan tenaga dengan pembaziran minimum atau sifar di tempat kerja sepanjang masa.

Mengapa kita tidak mengendahkan kuasa-kuasa  yang kita ada untuk mengubah bagaimana kita dan  mereka  yang di bawah tanggungjawab kita untuk menggunakan tenaga?

Adakah kerana kita mampu untuk membayar dan kita tidak mempunyai masalah membayar apa-apa jumlah yang kita digunakan? Jika jawapan anda adalah ya, anda boleh menjawab soalan-soalan yang berikut?

"Adakah anda benar-benar membayar  jumlah yang anda sepatutnyabayar untuk setiap unit tenaga yang anda gunakan setiap hari?"

"Adakah anda benar-benar pasti  bahawa jumlah yang anda gunakan tidak menjejaskan orang lain dan persekitaran semasa dan masa depan kita?"

Sekarang mari kita berkongsi pula beberapa fakta dan senario semasa yang berkaitan dengan tenaga yang kita gunakan setiap hari.

• Sumber-sumber tenaga kita semakin berkurangan dan kadar pengeluaran  semakin kurang walaupun semakin  banyak wang yang dilaburkan dalam aktiviti penerokaan tenaga untuk bahan api fosil seperti gas dan minyak yang juga tidak pasti apa hasilnya, sama ada gagal atau berjaya menemui sumber-sumber bahan api yang baru.

• Bahan api yang digunakan untuk menjana tenaga elektrik yang kebanyakannya terdiri daripada gas dan arang batu yang diimport. Subsidi sehingga 70% diberikan oleh kerajaan kepada pihak syarikat-syarikat utililiti berbanding dengan harga pasaran biasa sebagaimana yang dikongsi oleh Unit Perancang Ekonomi , Jabatan Perdana Menteri  dalam Forum Tenaga pada Julai 2011.

• Kira-kira 70% daripada jumlah subsidi terbuka  untuk bahan api yang digunakan oleh golongan berpendapatansederhana dan tinggi dan hanya kira-kira 30% subsidi LPG akan pengguna domestik seperti yang dikongsi oleh PEMANDU pada tahun 2010. Ini bermakna, lebih banyak tenaga kita gunakan, wang yang kurang boleh dibelanjakan untuk tujuan lain yang penting dan membangunkan negara seperti pendidikan, kesihatan, rumah mampu milik, jalan raya, air dan infrastruktur asas. Ini termasuk keperluan untuk rakyat miskin di negara kita di mana pada masa ini kita menggunakan antara RM20 bilion hingga RM30 bilion setahun untuk subsidi tenaga elektrik dan bahan api untuk kenderaan.

• Bagi setiap 1 kWj elektrik yang kita gunakan, kita perlu menjana kira-kira 2.5 kW elektrik di loji kuasa.

Stesen janankuasa arang batu yang membebaskan gas karbon dioksida ke persekitaran.

Stesen janakuasa gas yang menggunakan sumber-sumber  yang semakin berkurangan iaitu gas.

• Setiap 1 kWj elektrik yang digunakan adalah bersamaan dengan kira-kira 0.69kg pelepasan gas karbon dioksida epada alam sekitar dan sektor tenaga yang menyumbang kira-kira 50% daripada jumlah pelepasan CO2 di Malaysia berdasarkan data tahun 2000. Ini bermakna, lebih banyak kita menggunakan tenaga, lebih banyak gas karbon dioksida akan dilepaskan yang menyumbang kepada perubahan cuaca akibat pemanasan global.

• Berdasarkan Pusat Penyelidikan Tenaga Asia Pasifik  pada tahun 2006, Malaysia akan menjadi pengimport bersih minyak pada tahun 2020 atau lebih awal jika permintaan yang semakin meningkat pada kadar yang lebih besar setiap tahun. Jika kita mula mengimport, ini bermakna kita akan membeli bahan api di pasaran dengan harga pasaran.

JIKA KITA BENAR-BENAR MAMPU UNTUK MEMBAYAR KOS TENAGA, MENGAPA...

• Kita sentiasa membuat bising mengenai peningkatan kos sara hidup di rumah dan operasi perniagaan apabila kita mendengar kerajaan mahu atau menunjukkan untuk meningkatkan harga tenaga dengan menghapuskan subsidi tenaga secara berperingkat.

• Kita sering mengabaikan fakta bahawa mereka yang tinggal di negara-negara lain membayar lebih daripada yang kita bayar selama ini.

Kita terpaksa bersusah-payah untuk terus selesa dalam hidup kita setiap hari namun walaupun selama ini kita rasa kita berjaya, hakikatnya kita berjaya dalam  persekitaran yang "palsu" kerana kita membayar pada harga tenaga yang lebih rendah disebabkan subsidi yang kita nikmati  manakala mereka  di negara-negara seperti Thailand dan Singapura perlu membayar harga sebenar bahan api yang mereka gunakan setiap kali harganya meningkat di pasaran global. Mereka benar-benar berjaya dengan membayar harga sebenar untuk tenaga yang mereka gunakan.

Jadi, siapa yang  lebih berdaya saing dan benar-benar berjaya menangani kesan-kesan kenaikan harga bahan api di pasaran dunia dalam erti kata sebenar?Kita atau mereka?

Maka telah sampai masanya setiap daripada kita untuk melihat  tenaga sebagai sesuatu yang lebih dekat kita  dalam kehidupan seharian kita selain daripada hanya membayar bil elektrik setiap bulan dan membayar harga petrol atau diesel di stesen minyak.

Kita boleh melakukan banyak untuk membuat perubahan yang dalam kawalan dan  kuasa kita sendiri. Sebagai contoh, di Malaysia pengguna domestik sahaja terdiri daripada tujuh setengah juta pengguna berdaftar dengan syarikat-syarikat utiliti seperti TNB, SESB dan SESCO di Semenanjung, Sabah dan Sarawak masing-masing. 

Cuba kita bayangkan jika hanya menjimatkan sebanyak 1 kWj sehari sahaja di rumah. Jumlah penjimatan kos bil elektrik yang akan dicapai ialah sebanyak lebih kurang RM900 juta setahun dengan pengurangan pembebasan gas karbon dioksida sebanyak lebih kurang 624 juta  kilogram setahun.

Kerajaan sahaja membayar bila elektrik sebanyak kira-kira RM3 bilion setahun dalam tahun 2010-2011 bagi kemudahan-kemudahan bangunan miliknya manakala pengangkutan dan sektor industri kekal sebagai pengguna -pengguna terbesar tenaga di negara kita.

BAGAIMANA KITA BOLEH MELAKUKANNYA?

Mudah saja! Cuba lihat rutin harian kita dari saat  kita mula bangun pada waktu pagi. Setiap aktiviti seharian kita yang melibat penggunaan tenaga secara langsung atau tidak, kita boleh mengawal atau memilih bagaimana kita menggunakannya.

• Apabila loceng penggera berbunyi dan kemudian kita menghidupkan cahaya di dalam bilik dan bilik mandi.

Kita menggunakan tenaga setiap hari bermula daripada kita bangun tidur sehingga kita sedang tidur semula.

• Kemudian kita berjalan ke ruang makan untuk sarapan dan kita sedia maklum bahawa tiada apa yang akan berada di meja anda untuk kita  makan tanpa tenaga yang digunakan untuk menyediakannya.

• Apabila anda masuk ke dalam kereta atau melangkah ke dalam bas atau LRT sehingga kita sampai ke pejabat atau tempat kerja kita. Kita perlu membayar untuk mengisi petrol untuk bergerak dengan kenderaan dan lebih banyak petrol perlu kita bayar untuk digunakan jika terkandas pula dalam kesesakan jalan raya. Jenis kenderaan yang kita gunakan akan tentukan  berapa banyak tenaga akan kita gunakan.

Kebanyakan kereta hibrid  terbukti menggunakan minyak jauh lebih kurang berbanding kerena berkuasa petrol atau diesel. Semakin berhemah kita memandu,semakin banyak bahan api dan wang yang kita sendiri boleh jimatkan.

• Selepas itu kita mula bekerja untuk sekurang-kurangnya 8 jam sehari dan pada waktu di antaranya  kita menggunakan telefon, komputer dan peralatan pejabat untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan kita dilakukan. Semua peralatan tersebut memerlukan tenaga untuk  berfungsi. Selain daripada itu, sebahagian besar daripada pejabat kita adalah berhawa dingin sepenuhnya dengan cahaya yang terang untuk kemudahan dan keselesaan kita.

Kita boleh memilih untuk membeli kelengkapan rumah yang cekap tenga.

• Bagi mereka yang bekerja  dalam bahagian operasi, kita  menggunakan mesin dan peralatan untuk melaksanakan kerja-kerja kita  untuk mengeluarkan barangan atau untuk membuat tempat persekitaran yang selesa untuk bekerja.

Menggunakan pengangkutan awam telah terbukti lebih "hijau" berbanding kereta  

yang bergerak dengan bahan api berasaskan  fosil.

• Kemudian kita pulang ke rumah dan rutin yang selalu  sama selama seminggu bekerja dan mengakhiri  minggu dengan aktiviti-aktiviti hujung minggu di mana kita pergi untuk bersiar-siar  di tempat-tempat rekreasi atau komplek membeli-belah atau hanya tinggal di rumah.

Dalam semua aktiviti-aktiviti ini, kita  semua memerlukan tenaga dan di sinilah  kita mempunyai semua pilihan yang pada hakikatnya  benar-benar terpulang kepada kita untuk membuat keputusan tentang  apa dan bagaimana kita akan menggunakan tenaga.

MENGAPA IA PENTING?

Ini adalah kerana dalam semua perkara yang kita buat dan apa yang kita gunakan yang menggunakan tenaga setiap hari  ia akan...

• memberi kesan kepada berapa banyak wang yang akan ada  yang boleh kita gunakan untuk membantu golongan miskin dan membina lebih banyak sekolah yang selesa untuk anak-anak kita daripada peruntukan subsidi tenaga yang boleh dikurangkan.

Orang-orang miskin yang boleh dibantu dengan penjimatan kos subsidi oleh kerajaan untuk sektor tenaga.

• menentukan berapa banyak bahan api seperti gas dan arang batu yang akan digunakan untuk menjana tenaga elektrik di loji-loji  janakuasa oleh syarikat-syarikat utiliti.

• Mempengaruhi berapa banyak gas karbon dioksida yang akan dilepaskan ke alam sekitar disebabkan pembakaran gas, minyak dan arang batu untuk menjana elektrik dan daripada petrol atau diesel untuk kenderaan.

• Akhirnya akan memberi kesan kepada berapa banyak wang yang perlu dibayar oleh kita untuk bil  elektrik dan bahan api untuk kenderaan kita seperti petrol.

Kesimpulannya, semakin banyak tenaga yang kita jimatkan, semakin ketara kesan-kesan positif terhadap perkara-perkara di atas terutama sekali kepada kita yang perlu membayar tenaga yang kita gunakan. 

Jangan anggap kita tidak boleh menyumbang sesuatu untuk perubahan yang lebih besar dengan kuasa-kuasa dan pilihan-pilihan yang kita ada tetapi selalunya kita tidak pedulikan.

Jika kita memang benar-benar mampu sekali pun membayar sebanyak mana pun tenaga yang kita gunakan jika ia djual pada harga pasaran sebenar, adakah wang anda akan mampu juga membeli  keselesaan hidup untuk anak-anak atau waris anda kelak akibat kesan sikap kita terhadap tenaga pada hari ini?

Adakah kita sanggup dengan rela hati membiarkan anak-anak kita pada suatu hari nanti terpaksa dengan risiko-risiko  keselamatan dan pencemaran alam sekitar akibat kesan-kesan pemanasan global disebabkan sikap kita pada hari ini?

PILIHAN UNTUK BERTINDAK DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN "KUASA-KUASA"  DAN PILIHAN -PILIHAN YANG KITA SEKARANG ATAU BIARKAN SAYA SEOLAH-OLAH TIADA APA PERLU KITA BIMBANGKAN.

JIMAT TENAGA, JIMAT WANG DAN LINDUNGI HIDUP ANAK-ANAK KITA UNTUK MEREKA HIDUP SELESA PADA MASA HADAPAN!

SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH NEW ENERGY EFFICIENCY(EE) INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Yesterday I received one visitor at my office. He is already above 50 years old, a very experienced guy who will retire soon from the private sector. He was one of the youngest country managers of Hewlett -Packard in Malaysia and now interested to embark on energy efficiency field to fill his early retirement plan from next year.

He knew my contact number from one of the PhD holders at UNITEN who I met in one seminar on EE policy early this year. He called me and then came to see (finally after I have to postpone it few times due to my working commitment) me upon recommendation from that person who is also his friend. His friend told him that he may be able to get more insights on opportunities and current market trends from me since I have been involved in EE for quite some time.

When I recall, I realize that I have entertained at least 5 other people this year alone before this guy. All of the came to see me personally to have some more information on EE market in Malaysia and its potentials.

When they contacted me on our first communication(normally via email messages) I told them they also could get some information that I have been sharing  in this blog, my LinkedIn posts under Malaysia Green Professionals Group and in the Slideshare portal where I uploaded some of my presentation slides related to EE development in Malaysia.

Most of them did that but then, all of them insisted to see me in person to hear and ask directly some questions to me. Some even have to wait and still came due to changes in my working appointments with my clients.

Other than that, have also received queries on the market information online through my LinkedIn networking from local and international contacts. Some were foreigners who are interested to set up a base or to move in as green or EE professionals and some asked me about what they should do and what it takes for them to become EE players.

Honestly I do not know how much my input and information will help them but they seem very happy and relieved after they talked to me or received my answers through my email replies. They also thanked and appreciated my willingness to share my experiences and knowledge on EE industry in Malaysia with them.

Actually I just shared with them anything that I am know and aware off about the current progress of EE industry Malaysia with my exposure in the public sector and now as an industry player myself. I know some of them may become my competitors but that does not really worry me at all since the cake is still very big and still more than enough for anyone to take their slice.

With Mr. Alex at my office yesterday, 18 July 2013. All the best my new friend!

The chat with Mr. Alex yesterday  has actually  triggered  to write  this entry  and to share some of my thoughts related to what we discussed and shared. I rejoined the industry last year and from sharing my thoughts with other, it's a learning process for me too.

With that I would like to share what are they key factors and tips for anyone who is interested to embark on EE industry at the present environment. The following items are things that I believe to be crucial to be considered based on my experiences with the market since 1997 as a practitioner, then as regulator and a policy maker and now as an industry player with a business to run in EE field.

1.  Specialization

• You must have at least one or few areas in EE that you believe that you are strong at. That will be what you are going to start to sell when you enter the market.

• I do not believe in, as a starter you will be able to convince the market that you have all the solution sfor them when you do not have track records yet to support your credentials. You also must remember that you will not be the first one to knock their doors to offer EE services or products and it would be not a good type of reputation that you want to earn especially if they had bad experiences before.

• When you talk about area that you specialized in, you will be able to explain what you would like to offer to them in more convincing way and that will trigger some trust in your ability to deliver.

You need to know what you are really good at to convince them to pay  for your services!

• I personally saw and experiences  that  some companies did tell to their prospects that they were able to do almost everything but finally disappeared when they realized that could not deliver as per requested by the prospects. This will also leave a bad image to other players who genuinely provide total solutions in the market.

2. To know other experts/players in the market and their specialties

• As a service provider in EE, in some cases, clients insisted to include scopes that beyond your areas of specialization. For example, they may want to have the total solutions from engineering and management components of energy at their facilities. 

• Bear in mind that EE is multi-discipline field and no way can anyone become an expert in  all of them. By having a good contact with other experts that you know   and whom you can trust their credentials to work with, you will not lose the opportunity with your prospective clients.

Some scopes in energy services require different expertise to deliver

• In other cases, while you are servicing within you current scopes, they may have different or additional solutions or really specific services such as measurements that they need you to resolve for them and do not mind you source it from elsewhere.

• That are among the reasons why the knowledge on available EE experts and knowing them also important for you to start with.

• I am now entrusted in running one company in a group of companies which all companies in the group are in EE business but as we move on, we still need to work with other experts or partners to meet the increasing demand of our existing and potential clients.

3. You are the best?

• Unless you really have the track records or official testimonials or recognition to support your claim, please avoid claiming that. Why? Malaysian market for EE services sector is not that big and words will spread very for statements or claims that sounded like to discredit or undermine other players. It may not be the best idea when others started to scrutinize you and started to compare your self-proclaimed  "the best" services or products with what are available in the market. If you do not live up to that level, it will start to damage your reputation in the market and among other players.

4. Projects reference or track records

•  It would be very helpful to have your track records on important or significant projects that are related to EE properly documented and ready to be shared with the prospects if needed. That my give you some credentials to you especially when you are new.

5. Using the proxy figures won't work for EE business

• In EE services or products deliverable, you job is not done the moment you secured the deal. It's all about our ability to deliver and prove to your clients that whatever you offered to them really works.

• If you have managed to sell EE products, if they could not enjoy savings as high as what you have promised, they will lose the trust in you and also have negative thoughts about that product and there EE products too.

• If you have secured an energy audit job but the reports and findings presented to your prospect do not meet certain standards in good practices and expectations, you are as good as over because the market will start to lose confidence in your company. Not to mention the effects to other ESCOs that really good but have to deal with the mess that you have created.

• In relation to the above, having proxy figures to be with you in the company just to convince your prospects may not be  the best idea if you are not able to deliver. In this market where players are not many, once you screw up like that, you are as good as gone together with your reputation and your proxy s well.

My experiences tell me that you need to convince them on what you can deliver rather  than who you brought with you  to help to  convince the prospect

• I mentioned this because, I dealt with many companies came with many proxy figures to convince us about their proposal when I was working  in the public sector. These proxy normally some people with  titles but we know that they are  not known or related to EE field at all and their presence were just trying to influence the decision to favour the company that they represented.

• I know that is the trend in Malaysia but I personally do not know how much  that will help them if they cannot really deliver well.

6. You are on your own?

• EE industry is not a comprehensively regulated industry. It means you cannot expect too much assistance or guidance from the government agencies. 

• Do not be too disappointed if you are asked to refer to multiple agencies to get answers to your questions on EE because that is the way how it is now.

• It is simply because of there is still now clear policy at the national level that can be referred as a common document with its objectives and target. We also do not have any comprehensive law that governing EE industry unlike environment, occupational health safety and energy supply industries.

• At present, different agencies are carrying out EE initiatives on their own ways with no one is responsible or accountable on EE performance at the national level.

• What we can do now is to find our own ways to survive in this industry using whatever avenue and opportunities available in the market. In the same time we can only keep continuing to raise or concerns and recommendations to the government to be more proactive in supporting us in development of the industry by urgently introducing a clear policy, its EE targets, comprehensive framework with single accountability to be referred by the market for implementation and support measures available for the industry to grow.

The above are some of the key elements that I strongly believe to be considered for anyone who is interested to start their career or business in EE industry.

WELCOME ON BOARD AND ALL THE BEST.

TOGETHER WE CAN KEEP VOICING OUR CONCERNS AND DEVELOP THIS INDUSTRY FOR US AND BENEFITS OF THE NATION.

REEM WORKSHOP HAS REACHED ITS 5th SESSION

The workshop has reached the 5th session last Saturday. I was not so sure about the acceptance of the program when we planned it and started the first session in September 2012 and Alhamdulillah, I am much more positive about it now. 

Honestly I do not really know how much impacts  this workshop has made to all participants. Some of them have applied to become REEM to Energy Commission and successfully passed all the process and now registered. I am not sure about others since the decision to apply is finally up to them.

I feel grateful and satisfied since the program has  received very good response and feedback from the market and so far we never fail to conduct all sessions as planned.

Here I would like to share some comments and feedback from the latest batch that I have managed to gather and compiled. It was unintentionally not done in previous sessions because my focus previously just on the delivery and improvising the materials.

I will carry on to conduct this program as long as there is demand and need from the market as a part of my goal to assist in creating more energy managers. What I have been trying to instill among participants  is, being REEM is not only all about getting affected installations to comply to the law. Roles and responsibilities as REEM are much more that which among them is to be the champion of sustainable energy management system development and implementation at any organization that they might appointed.

Other than that, their performance as REEM will also create the impression and perception of the market about the impacts of services offered and delivered to benefit each organization.

I wish all of my participants all the best and  to be successful in their application to become REEM . For those who have become REEM, I do hope we will make good impacts with the right spirit and same goals to create positive impacts  to the market. 

I would like to record my sincere thanks and appreciation to MAESCO for providing me the platform and opportunity to conduct this program with the assistance and support from the beginning. Not to forget a big thank you from me to  the President, the administration staff and committee members who have very supportive to me in this effort. InsyaAllah...I will carry on...

Lessons can be learned from our neighbour...Thailand

Something that we can learn from our neighboring country  and act instead of allowing some "EE clowns" in ministry busy showing they are "smarter" than others .... I found this online

Thailand's Energy Policy and Development Plan under the Administration of Prime Minister General Surayud Chulanont.

The following national energy policy and development plan have been approved by the National Energy Policy Council (NEPC) and the Cabinet on 6 November 2006 and 21 November 2006 respectively. The gist can be summarized as follows:

Short Term: The implementation can immediately commence during the present government office.

1. Restructure and Improve the Energy Industry Management so as to optimize the efficiency of the national energy management.

• Speed up the drafting and enforcement of the Energy Act with a view to distinctly separating the policy-making features from the regulatory ones. The regulation of the energy industry will cover the electricity and natural gas industry, and an Independent Regulatory Body will be established;

• Recommend the amendment to the Royal Decree Describing Powers, Rights and Benefits of the PTT Public Company Limited, B.E. 2544 (2001) in order to transfer state powers to be under the state regulation; and

• Accelerate the enforcement of, updating and/or amendment to other energy-related laws, for example, the Petroleum Act, B.E. 2515 (1972), and the Energy Conservation Promotion Act, B.E. 2535 (1992), in order to solve problems and obstacles as well as to facilitate the implementation of energy-related matters.

2. Procure Energy so as to ensure sufficiency and security of energy supply.

• Speed up and promote energy resources exploration and development:

o Promote the exploration and development of petroleum resources both in Thailand and in overlapping areas with neighboring countries:

􀂃 Speed up additional procurement of natural gas from the following production fields in the Gulf of Thailand: Unocal, Arthit, Bongkot and Pailin as well as natural resources in the Thailand-Malaysia Joint Development Area (JDA);

􀂃 Develop the natural gas pipeline networks with neighboring countries, namely, from Blocks M7/M9 and A1 of the Union of Myanmar and from Natuna field of Indonesia, and/or procure LNG from foreign sources; and

􀂃 Speed up the negotiation on petroleum resource development in the Thailand-Cambodia continental shelf overlapping area.

o Promote the role of PTTEP in the exploration and development of petroleum resources both domestic and overseas.

• Revise Thailand's Power Development Plan:

o Adjust the load forecast to be more suitable and correspond with the economic conditions so as to ensure appropriate investment in the power sector and hence adequate supply to meet the demand;

o Promote greater participation of the private sector in power generation by accelerating the issuance of a request for proposals for power purchase from Independent Power Producers (IPPs); and

o Diversify fuel sources and types for power generation, including power purchase from neighboring countries, to ensure energy security and price stability, taking into account the generation costs, environmental impact and consumers' benefits.

3. Promote Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency

• Set the energy conservation targets and speed up the implementation in both the public and the private sectors, including the general public, in order to achieve a practical outcome and bring about a continuous practice, and to foster energy conservation consciousness, through buying appliances with energy efficiency labels, for example; 

• Establish the National Demand Side Management Office to be the focal point in forging ahead the demand side management so that energy conservation implementation would be carried out in a flexible, efficient and continuous manner; 

• Speed up the establishment of energy efficiency standards of energy-intensive appliances, machinery and engines, including the labeling of the products for which the standards have been established; 

• Promote greater use of the public transport by providing 'Park & Ride' areas and facilitating passengers by providing feeder transport to downtown; 

• Support the purchase of power from power producers using the cogeneration system, which is an efficient system for power generation, via the Regulations for the Purchase of Power from Small Power Producers (SPPs) and the Regulations for the Purchase of Power from Very Small Power Producers (VSPPs) at a suitable amount of purchasing capacity; and 

• Initiate energy conservation measures in the transport sector, for example, the improvement of public transport and logistics systems, and the development of energy-saving vehicles. 

4. Promote Alternative Energy Suitable for Thailand in order to diversify fuel types and reduce dependency on energy import.

• Promote the use of natural gas for vehicles (NGV), gasohol and biodiesel instead of oil in the transport sector, in proportion to the alternative energy development potential of the country;

• Support the purchase of power generated from renewable energy, such as agricultural residue, industrial wastes, biogas, garbage, wind and solar energy, in a suitable proportion and with appropriate purchasing prices by speeding up the announcement on the increase of purchasing capacity from Very Small Power Producers (VSPPs) and the establishment of purchasing price 'adders' from the prices specified in the Regulations;

• Establish a public organization to carry out the promotion of renewable energy utilization in the communities to bring about tangible and sustainable outcome as its implementation would be flexible and efficient;

• Support the policy study, research and development on alternative energy so as to determine practical guidelines on alternative energy development of the country; and

• Disseminate information about alternative fuels to the general public so that they would recognize and have confidence in the use of such fuels as NGV, gasohol and biodiesel, and carry out public relations work to create knowledge and understanding of the necessity to promote and develop other fuel options, e.g. coal, etc.

5. Establish the Energy Price Structure so that energy pricing would be transparent, fair and would reflect the actual costs. 

• Regulate the oil pricing pursuant to the market mechanism, which is free, transparent and fair;

• Endeavor to diminish the debt burden of the Oil Fund and set the framework for the future utilization of the Oil Fund allocation;

• Adjust the price structure of and subsidization for cooking gas (LPG) in order to better reflect the costs and reduce the distorted use of LPG;

• Revise the calculation method of the automatic adjustment mechanism (Ft) to be more appropriate and fairer, allowing the pass-through of fuel costs and power purchasing prices under efficient operation;

• Regulate the rate of return for the natural gas procurement, pipeline through-put and distribution to be clear, transparent and fair for consumers; and

• Monitor and regulate the pricing of alternative energy (NGV, gasohol, biodiesel) to reflect the costs and to be fair for consumers.

6. Establish Measures Pertaining to Clean Energy to reduce the environmental impact resulting from various forms of energy industry operation. 

• Upgrade the standards of refined petroleum products in line with the environmental management of the country; 

• Attach importance to the reduction of environmental impact resulting from energy business development by entrusting joint responsibility for the costs of environmental protection and solution to energy producers, distributors and consumers; 

• Comply with the environmental commitments that have been ratified by Thailand in the international forums; 

• Join the international cooperation in implementing environmental measures pertaining to the energy industry operation to enhance sustainable energy development; and 

• Forge ahead the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to promote efficient use of energy and to enhance greater use of renewable energy. 

7. Promote the Private Sector and General Public Participation in Policy-Making to create understanding and cooperation in energy development of the country. 

• Promote participation in determining energy policy and measures so that energy development would be sustainable; and 

• Promote participation in the community development, for instance, the community-based power generation and biodiesel production, which is in line with the development under the Sufficiency Economy concept. 

Long Term: Commence the study and research to formulate energy management that is sustainable and complies with the philosophical principle of Sufficiency Economy. Implementation in the following aspects will be carried out: 

8. Energy Supply 

• Establish measures encouraging the national energy development and supply that is secure, sufficient and widely accessible and that helps reduce energy import from foreign countries; and 

• Support and promote the use of alternative energy as well as the study and research & development of other new alternative energy. 

9. Sustainable Energy Development 

• Attach importance to the application of modern technology to energy development in parallel with the reduction of environmental impact resulting from energy business development; 

• Comply with the environmental commitments that have been ratified by Thailand in the international forums; 

• Entrust joint responsibility for the environmental impact to energy producers, distributors and consumers; and 

• Promote the general public participation in energy management. 

10. Energy Efficiency

• Support other agencies in the development of projects that will help reduce energy consumption, particularly oil, such as the improvement of mass transit and logistics systems, and the development of energy-saving vehicles. 

11. Promotion of Competition in the Energy Business

• Promote competition in the energy business to encourage efficiency and fairness, with the efficient regulatory system in place to ensure fairness for consumers.