STARTING MY ENERGY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY SERVICE

The preliminary stage and challenges...

I was not so sure on what exactly I can sell when I left SEDA Malaysia in February 2012. I received several job offers with different positions and expectation but almost all of them were about selling energy efficiency solutions and products and securing projects and services.

I finally accepted an offer from my business partners today where they agreed to set up a company and allowed me to have the freedom to explore business opportunities using whatever skills, expertise and strengths that I have. I wanted me to be a business partner where we can work together to grow our business in long term instead of just being an employee with them. I felt so grateful for the faith they have in me and risks that they were taking to offer the opportunity to me.

While thinking of what exactly I could offer and sell to the market, I helped them to develop the existing business of the group which was doing business development and marketing works to secure new projects. The group has been very established in providing total energy management solutions in reducing energy costs through energy performance contracting business model in Malaysia and other countries in this region. Technically, the group has all the resources in energy engineering for energy saving projects identification and implementation in term of equipment and personnel for projects delivery.

So, my idea was to leverage of the existing strengths and capability of the group with services that will complement technical solutions that have been offered for existing and future clients.

It took me about six months for me to conduct some personal market researches through my communications with contacts within the industry, extensive online materials readings and observations on current development of energy efficiency initiatives in Malaysian market by government and private sectors.

Weighing my options and getting prepared...

I have decided to specialize in the management and strategic elements instead of technical or engineering of energy efficiency since I was in Energy Commission. With that I mind, I have managed to get some much exposure through various training and other capacity development programs between government and other government in topics that are more on energy management system, policies and regulatory works in the last 4 years of my service in the government.

By the time I rejoined the private sector, I have less interest in exploring the technical parts of energy efficiency but I believe all my technical experiences  would be very useful too when it matters as I move forward.

With some advice from my partners and mixed with experiences and expertise that I have developed over the years, I know I would become an energy management consultant rather than an energy efficiency technical expert. 

That was mainly due my interests are more matched with skills that I have already possessed and very comfortable especially in public speaking and training. On top of that, I love interacting with people and always thrilled by the challenge to convince them about how good is energy efficiency for all of us as an individual, companies and also for the our country.

My first few steps in preparing myself to enter the market again as an industry players mainly involved:

1. Informing all my relevant contacts and friends in the industry that I have left the government and returned as an industry player. At that point, I did not share much on what I was doing exactly when asked but I did inform them that I will be doing something on consultancy and training together with energy saving projects. In the same time, I updated all details of my contacts and classify them into their ranks and industry where I can possibly contacting them again later.

2. Maximizing my presence online using platforms and networks such as LinkedIn, my blog and Facebook by utilizing all works that I have been involved together with various organizations that I have properly documented with basic write-ups, photos and also videos.

3. Asking around and talked to my contacts especially among players from the industry for me to obtain first information on the current environment of energy efficiency related businesses.

4. Simultaneously with all the above, I have managed to get myself registered as an electrical energy manager with Energy Commission, completed my training to be certified as a competent trainer by HRDF and enrolled in the locally organized energy management system expert training program under United Nation Industrial Development Organization(UNIDO).

5. With basically zero background in running a business on my own, I have learned from the basics too on how to operate a business with management strategies, financial and human resources cash flows, pricing, marketing, services delivery and etc. I have been blessed and lucky enough that I have received so much guides and advice from my experienced partners.

6. To test the market, I did try working with some contacts under joint proposals to offer services related to energy management consultancy. My main objectives were to learn on how to structure the proposal, preparing and rationalizing the costs, packaging elements in the proposal, how to work with strategic partners to propose and then to deliver the services and etc. The most important of all of that was how the prospects assessed and responded to our proposals because from their responses, I could see potentials areas to make the better if I were to do it on my own.

7. Continued to accept offers to speak EE seminars/conferences or invitations for meetings/discussions on EE issues under the industry association.This was for the purpose of to keep updating my contacts that I am still around in industry and would offer something to market soon.

Honestly, there were some doubts in my mind while trying to create my products that I wanted to introduce to the market. That mainly due to several factors and questions that suddenly appeared in my mind frequently that I could not deny that really worried me so much such as...

I was new in the market and need to compete with more established names in the market. Information that I gathered told me that many have given up and moved into other industry due to the very slow take-ups of energy efficiency solutions in the market.

Would anyone buy my service?

Would  I be good enough to convince them?

There were also moments where I did think about reconsidering my decision to run a business and to look for job with fixed monthly salary again. However, I did receive a lot of supports from my family members, contacts and friends too and they kept telling me I could successfully in my new adventure. Most of the were also offered their helps whenever possible for me to grow with them in the industry.

"You will never know how successful you can be unless you try!?

"Failure is assured unless you do or try something to stop it!"

"If you don't believe in yourself, who will?

"If you don't want to take some risks, who will take it for you?"

Finally, after about six months I have managed to get myself prepared to sell my self-developed services. All are new to the group and it took me some time for me to get my partners on the same page with me on what I would like to offer under the new company.

To enter the market as an industry player, I decided to offer the following under my energy management system consultancy services:

1. Energy management system development and implementation based on ISO50001 Standard;

2. Program designs and expert trainers service for in-house capacity building;

3. Registered electrical energy manager service: Expert guidance and compliance; and

4. Energy management policy studies and strategic implementation proposals.

All the above are areas that I believe that I had enough knowledge and experiences to sell and then to deliver.

To add values and to strengthen to the above services, are expertise and resources in providing technical energy management solutions by the group are also offered to the prospects. I believe by making the prospects aware about our capability to become a one-stop center for energy management services provider that offered technical and management solutions for them.

After all the basic elements on all those services sorted out, the challenges awaited me were to detail out each service in the form of business proposal, budget and fees to be charged and expected deliverable.  As a newcomer with no company's track records yet, I need to ensure that my entrance into the market to be notified and could be differentiated from existing players.

But then the big question was...."How could I do that?

Next,
The breakthrough...

PROSPEK MASA DEPAN SEBAGAI PENGURUS TENAGA DI MALAYSIA

1. Pengenalan dan penguatkuasaan Peraturan-Peraturan Pengurusan Tenaga Elektrik Dengan Cekap 2008 telah menunjukkan dengan jelas keperluan untuk mempunyai pengurus tenaga yang berkelayakan tahap yang sama dengan keperluan undang-undang lain yang memerlukan kemahiran tertentu di bawah pelbagai undang-undang yang meliputi sistem pengurusan  bidang-bidang yang lain seperti alam sekitar dan keselamatan.

2. Secara beransur-ansur, pada tahun-tahun kebelakangan ini peranan pengurus tenaga mula dilihat dan diiktiraf sebagai salah satu faktor kejayaan utama bagi amalan pengurusan tenaga yang berterusan dalam organisasi. Dengan kepentingan yang semakin meningkat ke arah pendekatan perniagaan yang kos efektif dalam menggunakan sumber tenaga selain daripada tenaga elektrik, ia akan menjadi realistik dan kita adalah tidak terlalu bercita-cita tinggi untuk menjangkakan lebih banyak permintaan bagi pengurus tenaga yang kompeten daripada pasaran dalam masa terdekat. 

3. Ini adalah untuk memastikan pengurusan sumber tenaga terutama di kalangan pengguna tenaga intensif dalam komuniti perniagaan dalam pelbagai jenis industri di Malaysia dan di rantau ini di mana kebanyakan negara sedang membangunkan ekonomi mereka.

4. Seperti negara-negara jiran ASEAN dan negara-negara maju lain di Asia, Malaysia dijangka menjadi lebih agresif dalam meningkatkan kecekapan dalam penggunaan sumber tenaga untuk melindungi dan mengekalkan aliran meningkat maju ekonominya dengan cabaran yang disebabkan oleh turun naik harga bahan api global untuk penjanaan elektrik seperti semulajadi gas dan arang batu.

5. Ini juga akan menyebabkan lebih ramai orang yang diperlukan dalam menguruskan sumber-sumber tenaga di segi permintaan yang mampu menyepadukan amalan pengurusan tenaga ke dalam operasi keseluruhan organisasi untuk mengurangkan pembaziran aktiviti operasi tenaga bagi perniagaan untuk kekal berdaya saing dan berkembang.

6. Kini kita telah beralih kepada persekitaran perniagaan di mana pengurusan tenaga telah menjadi lebih mesra kakitangan dan tidak lagi hanya memberi tumpuan kepada penyelesaian teknikal untuk mendapatkan keputusan yang dikehendaki. Organisasi dalam sektor awam kerajaan juga menghadapi cabaran yang berterusan dalam sektor tenaga terutama kesan-kesan peningkatan trend harga komoditi, perubahan dalam keperluan undang-undang, permintaan daripada pengguna, yang semakin meningkat kebimbangan global terhadap kesan perubahan iklim. 

7. Terdapat perubahan dalam keadaan ekonomi dan juga di mana lebih pembiayaan dan sumber-sumber kewangan yang menyokong dan pelaburan dalam pelbagai sektor semakin dikaitkan dengan keperluan pada elemen-elemen kelestarian oleh pelabur dan institusi kewangan.

      

8. Dengan beransur-ansurnya peningkatan dalam permintaan bagi pekerja dalam kecekapan tenaga dan penyedia perkhidmatan dalam pengurusan tenaga, para pengurus tenaga juga perlu melengkapkan diri mereka dengan kemahiran dan pengetahuan untuk berada di hadapan rakan-rakan mereka yang diperlukan untuk memenuhi permintaan dari sektor kerajaan dan swasta.

9. Peranan pengurus tenaga hari ini telah mula beralih kepada menjadi lebih penting bagi membantu organisasi untuk menghadapi cabaran-cabaran perniagaan yang semakin berkembang dan permintaan daripada semua segmen pasaran tempatan dan juga serantau.

10. Dalam persekitaran perniagaan semasa terdapat unsur-unsur utama yang telah jelas menjadi kriteria penting untuk menjadi pengurus tenaga yang berkesan dan berjaya di peringkat organisasi. Di sini saya ingin berkongsi sedikit-sebanyak tentang elemen-elemen yang paling penting berdasarkan kepada pemerhatian saya dan pengalaman bekerja dalam menyediakan perkhidmatan perundingan pengurusan tenaga untuk pengguna tenaga intensif di Malaysia setakat ini.

i)  Seorang pemimpin yang baik dengan kemahiran komunikasi yang berkesan

Dalam pasaran Malaysia, pengurus tenaga sering dikaitkan dengan jurutera atau orang yang mempunyai latar belakang teknikal dan mereka sering dilihat mempunyai ciri-ciri  mereka sendiri  dan berkomunikasi dalam lisan kepada orang lain kecuali antara bidang yang sama bukanlah sesuatu yang menjadi kekuatan mereka.

Walau bagaimanapun, pengurus tenaga berkesan pada hari ini harus mampu menjadi "jambatan" antara bahagian-bahagian yang berlainan atau jabatan-jabatan untuk mempastikan penglibatan dengan mereka dari awal program pengurusan tenaga. Buy-in dari semua pihak yang berkepentingan dalaman dari semua bahagian atau jabatan akan menentukan bagaimana untuk melicinkan proses pelaksanaan untuk mencapai matlamat dan objektif yang telah dipersetujui.

Mendapatkan sokongan dari peringkat yang berbeza kakitangan terutamanya daripada pengurusan tertinggi adalah salah satu faktor penting dalam tugas bersilang fungsi dan penglibatan yang sangat penting untuk memastikan kejayaan pengurus tenaga kerana pelaksanaan program pengurusan tenaga yang mampan memerlukan komitmen daripada eksekutif tertinggi daripada kumpulan pengurusan atasan dan lembaga pengarah. Tanpa sokongan atas ke bawah, usaha yang paling mungkin akan menjadi sia-sia dan terus jatuh dengan perhatian yang kurang diberikan.

Ini adalah di mana pengurus tenaga perlu menunjukkan ciri-ciri kepimpinan yang sangat kuat yang boleh dilihat sebagai meyakinkan dan cukup komited kepada program pengurusan tenaga juara dari atas ke bawah organisasi.

Salah satu keperluan utama untuk menjual idea pengurusan tenaga dan faedah-faedahnya, pengurus tenaga mesti mempunyai keupayaan untuk meyakinkan orang lain terutama pihak pengurusan atasan untuk keputusan penting dan kakitangan lain sepanjang proses pelaksanaan. Oleh itu, kemahiran komunikasi yang kuat dan berkesan yang dimiliki oleh pengurus tenaga adalah kritikal dalam memimpin dan menangani kehendak pelbagai peringkat kakitangan di setiap organisasi.

Pengurus tenaga sentiasa dijangka menjadi orang pintar sebagai orang yang paling cekap yang akan ditanya mengenai pengurusan tenaga di pemasangan dan oleh itu, keupayaan bagi pengurus tenaga untuk menerangkan dengan jelas pada pertanyaan bagi aktiviti pengurusan tenaga dan penyelesaian teknikal yang dicadangkan adalah juga penting. Kemahiran komunikasi yang kukuh dan berkesan seperti dalam persembahan lisan, perundingan, pujukan dan cadangan perniagaan akan membezakan seorang pengurus tenaga untuk daripada pengurus teknikal biasa.

Pengurusan tenaga tidak hanya adalah tentang penyelesaian teknikal dan isu-isu dan pengurus tenaga perlu ingat bahawa dalam talian tugas pengurus tenaga dalam organisasi atau pihak luar kepada organisasi, mereka perlu berkomunikasi dengan berkesan dengan semua peringkat orang . Keperluan untuk keupayaan untuk berkomunikasi dengan berkesan akan menjadi lebih jelas dalam perbincangan dan / atau mesyuarat pengurus tenaga perlu hadiri dan mengambil bahagian.

Dalam aktiviti pengurusan tenaga, peranan yang perlu dimainkan oleh pengurus tenaga untuk membangunkan dan melaksanakan sistem pengurusan tenaga akan memerlukan mereka untuk berinteraksi dan untuk mendapatkan kerjasama daripada tahap yang berbeza dan kumpulan dalam organisasi juga. Biasanya, orang perlu diyakinkan dan kemahiran lisan dalam komunikasi adalah cara yang terbaik untuk menghantar maklumat penting untuk mendapatkan sokongan dan kerjasama mereka.

Untuk seseorang yang merupakan penyedia perkhidmatan pengurus tenaga, penulisan yang sangat baik dan kemahiran lisan akan memberikan kekuatan tambahan dalam penyediaan cadangan perniagaan yang menarik dan menggambarkannya meyakinkan kepada penonton sasaran dalam mesyuarat perniagaan atau persembahan.

ii) Mengenalpasti dan melaksanakan penambahbaikan yang berterusan dalam program pengurusan tenaga

Pengurus tenaga hari ini mesti sentiasa berminat untuk mencari peluang untuk penambahbaikan yang berterusan melalui pemantauan dan penilaian yang berterusan hasil yang telah dicapai dalam prestasi tenaga. Pengurusan tenaga adalah satu proses yang dinamik dan pengurus tenaga mesti bersedia untuk menghadapi cabaran dan tuntutan organisasi mereka akan hadapi dalam iklim perniagaan industri yang mereka berada.

Adalah penting bagi pengurus tenaga untuk mempunyai keupayaan untuk membangunkan dan mewujudkan mekanisme untuk mengkaji semula prestasi tenaga dengan pasukan pengurusan tenaga dalaman yang disertai oleh bahagian atau jabatan yang berlainan. Mekanisme yang sepatutnya boleh memantau, berbincang dan menilai kemajuan yang dicapai menggunakan petunjuk prestasi tenaga yang telah dipersetujui untuk memastikan sokongan berterusan daripada pengurusan atasan dan semua anggota pasukan dalam organisasi untuk penambahbaikan program.

  

Untuk dapat mendorong orang lain untuk penambahbaikan, pengurus tenaga perlu sentiasa mengemaskini diri mereka dengan ilmu pengetahuan dan maklumat mengenai teknologi terkini dalam penyelesaian teknikal dan pendekatan atau standard dalam amalan pengurusan tenaga. Ini boleh dilakukan melalui pembacaan berterusan, menghadiri program latihan dan seminar yang sesuai bagi mereka untuk meningkatkan kecekapan dan kemahiran mereka dalam pengurusan tenaga.

iii) Lebih mempunyai fikiran sebagai seorang ahli perniagaan

Pengurus tenaga kini dijangka mempunyai keupayaan untuk memacu inisiatif untuk mengurangkan perniagaan dan kos operasi menerusi pengurangan kos tenaga daripada langkah-langkah penjimatan tenaga. Mereka mesti cukup berpengetahuan tentang kesan perniagaan yang disebabkan oleh meningkatkan prestasi tenaga dengan teknologi yang paling kos efektif dan boleh didapati dalam mengurangkan risiko yang dikenal pasti dan kesan ke atas operasi dengan penyelesaian yang dicadangkan mereka.

Kemudian, mereka harus mampu untuk  menggunakan semua elemen yang dinyatakan di atas untuk mewujudkan program pengurusan tenaga yang disokong dalam data dan melibatkan semua pihakg di seluruh organisasi untuk bekerja bersama-sama untuk mencapai matlamat yang dikehendaki.

Paradigma dalam tahun-tahun kebelakangan ini dan persekitaran perniagaan semasa telah secara beransur-ansur beralih daripada melihat seorang pengurus tenaga sebagai seorang kakitangan biasa yang hanya boleh menawarkan penyelesaian teknikal atau melaksanakan tugas teknikal untuk meningkatkan prestasi tenaga kepada kakitangan lebih penting dalam meningkatkan prestasi perniagaan dari melaksanakan program pengurusan tenaga .

   

Pengurus tenaga mesti meletakkan diri mereka di pasaran dengan lebih celik perniagaan ,mampu memberi inspirasi dan semakin profesional dalam pendekatan mereka untuk menangani kebimbangan dan para pembuat keputusan perniagaan dan persepsi daripada kakitangan daripada pelbagai peringkat dalam organisasi berkenaan dengan pelaksanaan program pengurusan tenaga.

Mereka juga dijangka dapat meyakinkan pembuat keputusan dan dasar untuk melihat pengurusan tenaga dari sudut strategi perniagaan pandangan dalam pengurusan sumber perkembangan organisasi dan ekonomi di peringkat negara dan tidak semata-mata sebagai penyelesaian teknikal untuk mengurangkan kos tenaga.

Dengan persekitaran perniagaan yang pesat berubah di mana-mana pasaran, perkhidmatan yang ditawarkan oleh pengurus tenaga perlu dilihat sebagai menarik sebagai perkhidmatan lain atau strategi pengurusan sumber yang akan menambah nilai dan meningkatkan keuntungan kepada syarikat. Dengan kira-kira lapan puluh peratus daripada tenaga elektrik di Malaysia digunakan oleh pengguna bangunan industri dan komersial, ia adalah cukup jelas bahawa permintaan untuk pekerjaan yang berkaitan pengurusan tenaga seperti pengurus tenaga diperlukan lebih daripada sekadar untuk memenuhi keperluan undang-undang.

iv)      Mempunyai kelayakan dan kecekapan tambahan dan yang sesuai

Kelayakan dan kecekapan tambahan akan selalu membawa lebih nilai dan kelayakan untuk pengurus tenaga untuk meningkatkan imej dan reputasi mereka dalam organisasi. Ini akan membuat prospek dan pelanggan yang sedia ada untuk beriman lanjut mengenai kekuatan dan latar belakang pengurus tenaga terutama kelayakan dan kecekapan yang boleh membantu pelanggan untuk mencapai prestasi tenaga yang lebih baik daripada aktiviti pengurusan tenaga.

       

v)    Dikenali dalam pasaran dan prospek bagi pengurus tenaga yang menyediakan perkhidmatan pengurusan tenaga sebagai pihak ketiga

Selain daripada menggunakan strategi perniagaan konvensional seperti mendapatkan temujanji untuk persembahan perniagaan, mengambil bahagian dalam pameran dan menerbitkan brosur atau risalah, pengurus tenaga mestilah proaktif bagi membolehkan mereka untuk mendapat perhatian di pasaran di kalangan pengurus tenaga lain atau peserta industri. Penggunaan media dalam talian seperti kumpulan rangkaian profesional dalam talian dan media sosial perlu diterokai dan digunakan untuk menyasarkan pelbagai segmen kumpulan sasaran untuk perkhidmatan anda.

Jalan lain untuk membuat pengurus tenaga boleh dilihat di pasaran adalah untuk menggunakan kemahiran yang anda miliki untuk mengambil bahagian dalam acara-acara seperti seminar, forum dan persidangan sebagai pakar atau panel penceramah di mana anda akan dilihat secara langsung oleh penonton yang akan membina imej yang baik dan reputasi .

Jika anda bagus dalam penulisan, anda boleh mendapatkan peluang menjadi penulis tamu atau kolumnis dalam bidang atau  kepakaran anda atau isu-isu umum mengenai kecekapan tenaga untuk penerbitan yang relevan seperti majalah-majalah profesional dan industry serta akhbar-akhbar utama.

                                        

Prospek pada masa hadapan

11. Usaha berterusan dalam program transformasi ekonomi oleh kerajaan terutamanya dengan pengenalan dasar rasionalisasi subsidi pada tahun-tahun kebelakangan ini telah dan akan menyediakan lebih banyak dorongan untuk pengguna tenaga intensif untuk mengambil usaha yang lebih mapan untuk mengurangkan kesan daripada membayar harga tenaga yang lebih tinggi melalui peningkatan tarif elektrik dan harga bahan api  pada masa akan datang.

12. Usaha-usahan untuk menjadi lebih menerapkan amalan-amalan dan teknologi hijau dalam aktiviti ekonomi dan pembangunan dalam kemajuan negara untuk menjadi ekonomi maju akan meninggalkan semua segmen dalam semua masyarakat untuk melihat pengurusan tenaga yang lebih daripada hanya untuk menjimatkan kos tetapi juga untuk masa depan yang lebih mesra alam daripada generasi akan datang. Dengan sasaran yang ditetapkan agar dapat dicapai dalam pengurangan intensiti karbon dioksida yang dijanjikan oleh kerajaan kepada masyarakat global pada tahun 2020, para  pengurus tenaga dijangka memainkan peranan penting untuk mencapai sasaran yang kerana sumber  terbesar pelepasan karbon dioksida di Malaysia adalah dari sektor tenaga .

13. Akhirnya, ia akan menjadi tidak terlalu optimis untuk meramalkan masa depan yang cerah untuk kerjaya dan peluang perniagaan yang berkait rapat dengan pengurusan tenaga secara lestari untuk perniagaan  dan kehidupan yang lebih lestari pada masa hadapan. Dengan dasar yang lebih jelas di Malaysia dalam menguruskan sumber-sumber tenaga yang dijangka diperkenalkan pada tahun-tahun akan datang, pengurus tenaga lagi dijangka berada dalam permintaan tinggi dalam perbagai segmen  industri yang berlainan dalam aktiviti pengurusan dan tahap untuk kebanyakan organisasi sama ada dalam sektor kerajaan dan swasta.

14. Ia dijangka bahawa syarat-syarat untuk menjadi pengurus tenaga untuk menjadi lebih khusus dan dengan pelbagai jenis kekompetenan mungkin diperlukan untuk memenuhi keperluan segmen pasaran yang berbeza pada masa akan datang. Pengurus tenaga dengan pengalaman yang luas dan telah berjaya menyampaikan perkhidmatan yang berkaitan dengan aktiviti-aktiviti pengurusan tenaga akan mempunyai lebih banyak kelebihan dengan sudah terbinanya dalam kelayakan, kepakaran dan rekod akan lebih mendapat perhatian dan kepercayaan pasaran untuk dibandingkan dengan mereka yang baru menyertainya.

15. Dengan pasaran komuniti ekonomi ASEAN yang akan datang,  lebih banyak peluang juga dijangka boleh didapati untuk diteroka di rantau ini untuk perkhidmatan berasaskan pengetahuan seperti apa yang boleh ditawarkan oleh pengurus tenaga. Yang pasti akan menjadi satu lagi kerjaya dan perniagaan yang hebat peluang kepada mereka yang ingin mengembangkan kerjaya mereka di luar organisasi mereka yang sedia ada dan pasaran domestik.

`16. Cabaran bagi pengurus tenaga hari ini adalah untuk membina asas mereka dan kemudian untuk diiktiraf oleh pasaran melalui kualiti penyampaian perkhidmatan mereka walaupun kurang daripada banyak faktor untuk menyokong pertumbuhan dan penerimaan perkhidmatan yang ditawarkan dalam industri tenaga kecekapan dengan persekitaran dan iklim ekonomi semasa. Walau bagaimanapun, saya cukup yakin bahawa masa depan pengurus tenaga dengan pertumbuhan industri kecekapan tenaga di pasaran serantau dan global akan meninggalkan kita dengan tiada pilihan lain daripada menyertai mereka berada atas jalan yang sama untuk mencapai masyarakat yang lebih cekap tenaga dan negara.

10 KEY SUCCESS FACTORS AS A Registered Electrical Energy Manager(REEM) in Malaysia

Being a REEM myself and engaged with over 20 clients from different type of facilities,  various expectations from the market has made it more challenging to me for REEMs to meet and exceed those expectations.

I would like to share what are the key factors and tips for anyone who is interested to embark on energy efficiency industry at the present environment especially in offering REEM services. The following 10 items  are believe to be crucial factors when offering and delivering REEM services to the current and future market in Malaysia.

1. Specialization And Resourcefulness

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

I do not believe that as a starter you would be able to convince the market that you have all solutions for them while you do not have track records yet to support your credentials. You must remember that you may not be the first one to knock their doors to offer REEM services. It is not a good type of reputation that you want to earn especially if that prospect had bad experiences before with regard to REEM services.

When you talk about areas that you specialized in, you must  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 exactly  good at to convince them to pay for your services.

I personally came across  some REEMs under their own company told their prospects that they are able to do almost everything but finally disappeared when they realized that could not deliver as per requested. Then this will also leave a bad image to other players who genuinely provide total solutions for energy management in the market.

To show your resourcefulness in the eyes of the clients of prospective clients, a REEM must have a strong understanding about other topics in energy efficiency too. For example, you may not a M&V expert but you should be able to explain to them should they have enquiries related to verifying savings for their energy saving projects by suggesting recognized method can be used.

Tips:

To support your credentials, relevant qualifications and competency certificates will be useful to be highlighted to the market and prospective clients;

Read or subscribe to energy efficiency related information and materials either printed or online media to keep yourself updated on current development of technologies, industry news and best practices. You can even download it for free with free online registration;

Attend energy efficiency related programs such as training, seminars and forums to keep yourself updated about the industry, current technologies and practices and also  to build or enhance personal capacity in related subjects especially in the area of services that being offered to the clients.

2.Having Strong Grasps On The Key Concepts and Elements In Energy Management System

A very strong background, knowledge and experiences in all key components and stages in EnMS implementation will give REEMs more confidence in selling and delivering REEM services. This is due to all services that can be offered by REEMs  activities and elements in any energy management system implementation of an organization.

Identifying the needs of the organization  for affected installations for each stage of EnMS development and implementation will enable REEMs to assist by  offering  relevant services which can be covered in the scope of works under the services contract.

3. Knowing Other Experts Or Players In The Market And Their Specialties

As a service provider in energy efficiency industry, clients may insist to include some scope of works that may be 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 such as integrated building automation system and energy metering system but your expertise may only limited to other areas. 

Bear in mind that energy efficiency is a multi-discipline field and it would be impossible for anyone to become an expert in all of disciplines in energy efficiency too. By having good contacts and professional relationship with other experts that you know and with trusted credentials to work with, you will not lose the possible opportunities with your prospective and existing clients.

In other cases, while you are servicing within you current scope of works, clients may have additional needs for solutions or really specific services that they need you to resolve for them and do not mind you source it from elsewhere.

That are among the reasons why the information on available other energy efficiency experts and knowing them are also important for you to start and sustain you REEM services in the market.

I am now entrusted to run one company in a group of companies which all companies in the group are involved in energy efficiency related businesses but as we move on, we still need to work with other experts as strategic partners to meet the increasing demand of our existing and potential clients.

Being a completely stand-alone REEM may good enough for you to enter the market but as you move on, it will limit your options to meet increasing demands of existing and future clients. In the same time, it may also limit your company’s potential to expand to tap “bigger” works other than only REEM services unless you are already comfortable on where you are now.

4. Clearly  Defined Scope Of Services And Deliverables

A REEM must be able to clearly define types and scope of services to be delivered to his prospective clients to meet agreed deliverables  in the services contract.

The client must be made to understand each scope and what type of outputs are expected from overall services to be delivered with agreed conditions and deliverables.

After you have started to deliver you services, all eyes will be on how you deliver especially among the key personnel related to energy management at the installation. A well-defined scope of works and agreed expectations on the deliverables throughout your services contract will be a good reference for every party to work with you and to monitor the progress.

5. Availability Of Strong And Reliable Technical Supports

This can be made available in few options. For big companies, they may have all the supports need from within to ensure services offered to be delivered. For newcomers or smaller companies there are several options can be considered as follows:

• Focus on services that you are really good at and can be delivered using mainly your own expertise and existing resources;
• Establish good contacts with reliable and trusted partners through strategic collaborations or ventures to bid or propose bigger scopes and more than just compliance services where your own expertise and resources are lacking.

6. With A Company With A Strong Financial Standing

They are scenarios where the financial strengths of a company could become the deciding factor to secure REEM services contract especially when we need to compete for jobs with big or multinational companies.

I personally came across such scenario when there are conditions where minimum paid up capital was predetermined at certain values and audited company’s account are a part of mandatory documents to be attached to qualify us for the bidding or preliminary evaluation stage.

7. Well Documented Projects Reference Or Track Records

It would be very helpful to have your track records on important or significant projects that are related to energy efficiency properly documented and ready to be shared with the prospects if needed. Good and well documented track records will give you more credentials to you especially when you are new to convince them to engage your services.

8. Possess Excellent and Effective Communication Skills

Engineers or people with technical background are often seen having their own set of characters and communicating in oral to other people unless among the same field is not something that  they are to be good at it.

The reality is, when you are in services industry, one of the core requirements to sell your services and that makes your ability to convince your prospects about your services. Obviously you will need to tell them how good you are and why they should engage you and not other REEMs.

REEMs are always expected to be resourceful people as the most competent person to be asked about energy management at the installation and therefore, the ability for REEMs to explain clearly on queries for services that they are offering or being delivered is also important. Strong and effective communication skills such as in oral presentation, negotiation, persuasion and business interaction will distinguish a REEM from other REEMs.

Energy management is not all about technical solutions and issues and REEMs must bear in mind that in the line of their duties as a REEM within the organization or as an external party to the installation, they have to communicate effectively with all levels of people. The needs for the ability to communicate effectively will be more obvious in discussions and/or meetings that REEMs will have to attend and participate.

In energy management activities, roles that need to be played by REEMs to deliver their services will require them to interact and to get cooperation from different levels and groups in the organization as well. Normally, people need to be convinced and oral skills are the best way to send your key messages and to get their supports and cooperation.

For external REEM service provider, excellent writing and oral skill will give extra strengths  in preparing attractive business proposal and to present  it convincingly to your targeted audience in business meetings or presentations.

9. Having added and relevant qualifications and competencies

Extra qualifications and competencies will always add more value and credentials for REEM to increase their image and reputation. These will make the prospects and existing clients to have more faith on the strengths and background of the REEM especially qualifications and competencies that can assist the clients to achieve better energy performances from energy management activities. 

Here I would like to share some qualifications and competencies that will add value to REEMs and services to be delivered at the installations:

• Professional and competency certificates in related fields such as the as professional engineer and competent engineers for electrical safety;
• Certified trainer by Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Bhd to conduct trainings  that are claimable by eligible companies under  Human Resource Development Fund;
• Certified Lead Auditor and Registered Auditor with Certification Bodies for ISO50001 Standard;
• Certifications from other independent bodies such for  Green Building Facilitator  and M&V Specialist;

The company that REEMs are representing have all related registration with relevant bodies such as Energy Commission for electrical works and ESCO, Construction Industry Development Board, Ministry of Finance and etc.

     

10. Visibility to the market

Other than using conventional business strategies such as seeking appointment for business presentation, participate in exhibitions and publishing brochures or pamphlets, REEMs must be proactive in order for them to get noticed in the market among other REEMs or industry players. The use of online media such as online professional networking groups and social media should be explored and utilized to target various segments of target groups for your services.

Other avenues to make yourself visible in the market are to use skills that you possess to participate in events such as seminars, forums and conferences as an expert or panel speakers where you be noticed directly by the audience which will build your good image and reputation.

If you are good in writing, you can seek the opportunity become a guest writer or columnist in your area of expertise or general issues on energy efficiency for relevant publications such as professional and industry magazines and newsletters.

I do see that REEM services can open more and bigger doors o for other EE services to be offered to the clients  and with this sharing, I do hope it could benefit  fellow REEMs out there and will inspire others to come on to join us.

Further queries or  more sharing on REEM services can be forwarded to me at zainiabdulwahab@yahoo.com

ENERGY EFFICIENCY AS FASTER,CHEAPER, SAFER AND MORE INCLUSIVE OPTION THAN NUCLEAR FOR POWER IN MALAYSIA

I came across a group of young and motivated people through a good friend of mine Prof. Ir. Lalchand.
He was invited to be a panelist at a forum about nuclear organized by a group called AMAN.

He posted the a above information and instantly I said yes and I will be there. Then I searched in the internet about AMAN and bumped into their facebook page and I liked that page immediately. Then I posted something about potentials of energy efficiency from IEA as alternatives for nuclear power plants.

My stand in nuclear for power in Malaysia has been the same and I did said it to myself consistently and to me fellow EE friends to that if I need to go to the street to protest on nuclear for power, I will.

Then this AMAN's leader, Anas started to communicate with me through facebook and later we agreed to meet to have more clear picture about AMAN and how possibly I can play some roles with my background in EE.

We finally met at Bangsar on  a Saturday and joined by few more AMAN members...all of them are much much  younger than me surely. Anas himself just 24 years old and all of them looked very objective, motivated and excited on what they are trying to pursue under AMAN.

It did not take me a long  time after listening to the objectives and goals of AMAN to decide that they can count me in with them.We exchanged some ideas and thoughts on what each of us can contribute to champion the move to stop nuclear for power in Malaysia. I believe finally Allah has answered my prayer by giving me  another platform to pursue EE agenda for my beloved country and now coupled with the nuclear for power issue which can strengthen our case for the public to pay attention  and for the government to listen and act to concerns raised by Malaysians.

So, AMAN finally was launched on 23 December 2014  at the forum and I was there to witness that.On top of that I was also spontaneously  invited to address the crowd in few minutes and I highlighted my concerns on why the government is still insisting nuclear for power when there are other  options?

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With AMAN chairman Dato' Dr. Ronald McCoy

Honestly I have never been in this kind of event or group and therefore I could not tell either the launching was a success or not but by being positive about it, I believe everything has to start somewhere and we will take it from there. As expected, I did not think that any government related/controlled media or mainstream media will cover the  event but I saw some reporters from online news portals were there to make some coverage.

I know what I was there and know exactly why I am in to be with AMAN and at this time after many years of trying to pursue EE agenda through all other possible channels and ways, I don't see any harm for me to come forward through AMAN. We have the same goals anyway....for a better future of Malaysia without nuclear as long as possible.

The dialogue ended with the a strong endorsement to  AMAN's key arguments on why Malaysia don't need nuclear power plants now with options that we have on the table.The government must stop the initiative to build nuclear power plant and focus on maximizing the potentials from EE and RE sources.

PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 23rd DECEMBER 2014

ANAK MALAYSIA ANTI NUKLEAR (AMAN) is a grassroots citizen movement that is convinced that nuclear power is not cheap, clean or safe and that it is not required for the generation of electricity in Malaysia. AMAN therefore rejects the construction of any nuclear power plant (NPP) in Malaysia.AMAN is aware of the ongoing dissemination of false information by the nuclear industry and other vested interests and that there has not been any genuine transparency of the government's intentions nor sincere public consultation. Our country must not make the serious mistake of investing in and constructing a nuclear power plant, particularly when there is no existing method of safely disposing of long-lasting radioactive nuclear waste, which will threaten the health of future generations of Malaysians.AMAN urges the government to abort EPP11: Deploying Nuclear Energy for Power Generation, which is part of the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), or any other similar plan, but instead concentrate and focus efforts on renewable energy and energy efficiency.

AMAN has taken this position, based on 7 key factors:

1. A nuclear power plant is an enormously expensive and economically unwise project, from the construction and operating costs to the management of nuclear waste and eventual decommissioning of the plant. Factor in the dangerous and high cost of uranium required and you have an economically backward move. The International Atomic Energy Agency has stated that it will take at the very least $100 billion over the next 25 years to decommission 40 nuclear power plants.

2. With the increasing likelihood of serious natural disasters as a result of climate change, NPPs will prove to be vulnerable to natural disasters and accidents, as with the recent Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. There is also no 100% guarantee that a NPP is safe from human error, sabotage or terrorist attack. Malaysia is not equipped to handle such catastrophic nuclear disasters which will make large areas of the country uninhabitable for hundreds of years.

3. Nuclear power is not safe and has proven to be a ticking time bomb. Proponents of the nuclear industry claim that nuclear power plants are safe, and yet the human and environmental disaster of Fukushima continues to worsen and defies any solution. It cannot be over emphasised that the greatest danger to human health comes from radiation emitted by nuclear waste, which remains radioactive for thousands of years and yet cannot be disposed of safely, ever since the beginning of the nuclear age.

4. There is no need to build a nuclear power plant to generate electricity as Malaysia's existing and planned electricity by other means is sufficient. Instead, there should be a concerted effort to explore into Renewable Energy for greener growth, as well as energy efficiency which can reduce up to 30% of power consumption.

5. Apart from China, the rate of construction of NPPs is skydiving, with only one NPP being constructed in the United States. By law, Germany will end its use of nuclear power by 2022, and France plans to do the same.

6. A nuclear power plant will make Malaysia dependent on foreign technology and dependence on foreign supply of nuclear materials will impact on energy security.

7. A nuclear power plant will open the doors to the misuse of plutonium, leading to nuclear weapons proliferation, although Malaysia has always opposed the use of nuclear weapons and advocates the elimination of nuclear weapons. Globally, the use of nuclear power as an energy source is in decline. In 2003, there were 438 operating NPPs, but today only 388 remain in operation. The world's use of nuclear energy has dropped from 17.8% in 1996 to 10.8% in the year 2013. Since the year 2000, the growth per annum of solar based energy has been 25%, wind 43%, and nuclear -0.4%.Germany has been very successful in its effort to phase out nuclear energy and is now shifting its policy towards renewable energy. France, which has always been a strong proponent and role model for nuclear energy, has passed a motion in Parliament to cut its dependency on nuclear from 75% to 50% and to increase its dependency on renewable energy from 15% to 40%.In light of the above, there is concrete evidence to suggest that Malaysia should scrap whatever plans it has to go nuclear, as it is a threat to energy security and the risks totally outweigh any perceived benefit. 

We urge the government to do the right thing for the benefits of generations to come.

DATO’ DR. RONALD MCCOY

CHAIRMAN

ANAK MALAYSIA ANTI NUKLEAR (AMAN)

and then followed by some coverage by online news portals such as Malayonline 

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/putrajaya-snubbed-cheaper-energy-savings-scheme-for-nuclear-plans-forum-tol 

and Malaysiakini  http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/284389

Hope all this will start something to bring up the real issues and solutions  available for larger number of Malaysians. I will be all the way with AMAN in this as long as they stick to common goals and don't get distracted or manipulated by some parties which can see the excitement and commitment shown by this young generation as opportunities to insert their own agenda.

Nuclear power plants are not like the government or PM where once we have one, we can change or make it weaker through elections.
Once we have nuclear plants, it will be there to make us to suffer for hundreds years to come for tiny mistakes that we definitely will make.

WE HAVE OTHER OPTIONS BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS SIMPLY DENYING AND HIDING IT and SCARE US look like there are no options other than nuclear.

It's our call and it's for our country because if we don't do anything to stop it, NO ONE WILL!

Let's do this AMAN! and let's join us MALAYSIANS!

TOGETHER WE MAKE OUR COUNTRY A BETTER, GREENER, SAFER AND HAPPIER PLACE TO LIVE NOW AND OUR FUTURE CHILDREN!