INVESTMENT POTENTIALS FROM ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS IMPLEMENTATION

During my time while serving in the government and now as an industry player myself, often question raised by many towards me. Can we really make money from energy efficiency and how good is the returns comparing to investing in conventional businesses?

Now, let us look at energy efficiency opportunities as reported by international energy related agencies, countries and until we reach to how much the potentials that has been identified in Malaysia. Then we can decide on how do we look at energy efficiency to make money out of it and how much its potential for businesses as an industry.

Energy efficiency markets deliver goods and services that reduce the energy required to fuel our economies. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that investment in key energy efficiency markets worldwide with the total up to USD 300 billion in 2011. This estimation is very conservative based on an assessment of direct and leveraged investment in identifiable energy efficiency initiatives by the public sector, multilateral finance institutions and major private institutions.'

In the  United States of America(USA), ESCO industry reported annual revenues of USD5.3 billion in 2011 with revenues expected to grow to  about USD6.4 billion by the end of 2013 (Stuart et al. 2013). Stuart et al. (2013) also estimated a remaining market potential of USD77 billion to USD133 billion in facilities commonly serviced by ESCOs. Given this context, state policy makers in USA could consider implementing or expanding various types of policies and initiatives that support demand-side energy efficiency, such as energy efficiency resource standards, energy service performance contracting for specified market segments, building energy codes, retrofitting projects for government buildings, and financing, among others. 

The estimation of incremental annual electricity savings and savings in the report is from projects active in a given year developed and implemented by ESCOs in USA. Estimating these savings levels is a foundational step in order to determine total avoided Green House Gases (GHGs) from energy efficiency measures installed by ESCOs.'

In 1 July 2015 The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released a new report finding energy efficiency in the USA has come a long way in the last 35 years, slashing in half the “energy intensity” metric that compares energy consumed to the gross domestic product. The report indicated that the USA has cut the amount of energy it uses, compared to each dollar of gross domestic product, from 12.1 thousand Btus per dollar in 1980 to 6.1 thousand Btus per dollar in 2014. In 2014 year, the same study found, efficiency measures saved the United States USD800 billion. Most of the improvements over the last 35 years came from advances in energy efficiency itself, ACEEE concluded, and not changes in the broader economy.

In Germany, the government development bank Kiwi has provided USD 12.7 billion in loans for energy efficiency investments in the residential buildings sector in 2012, and it estimates that this stimulated USD 35 billion in home efficiency refurbishments.

In New Zealand, its home insulation program has invested USD 243 million over the last four years, evaluated as delivering benefits five times the value of this investment.

French public spending on energy efficiency in the residential sector stood at USD 473 million in 2011, and total spending associated with its “white certificate” scheme could trigger private spending 20 times this figure based on previous years’ performance.

In Mexico, the Green Mortgage Program mobilized nearly USD 1 billion in public subsidies and nearly USD 500 million in additional lending by mortgage providers to over three million householders between 2009 and 2012.'

From the above information and facts from each country, it is very obvious that energy efficiency has been planned and implemented in short, medium and long term with huge amount of monetary investment involved. It also signaled the confidence on good returns expected from their investments.

Business Potentials for Energy Service Companies (ESCOs)

ESCO industry has been relatively unknown in Malaysia due to various barriers that I will discuss further in the Part Two of this article in the next issue. However in some countries and other regions, ESCO industry has been estimated having a rapidly growing size of industry volumes as summarized in the table below.  

China has overtaken the US as the leading country in ESCO industry which valued between USD4 billion and USD7 billion.

Country	Estimated ESCO Industry Size(USD million)	Source
China	4,000-7,000	Cahill and Bertoldi (2013)
United States	~5,300	Stuart et al.(2013)
Germany	~3,900-5,200	Cahill and Bertoldi (2013)
France	~4,000-5,000	Marino et al.(2010)
United Kingdom	~320	Cahill and Bertoldi (2013)

In the United States, for example, levels of spending on ratepayer-funded efficiency program have grown from USD 1 billion in 2000 to USD 7 billion in 2011, an average annual growth rate of 20%.

For the Federal, State, and local governments in the USA, they have  invested over USD21 billion in Energy Performance Contracting(EPC) to implement energy efficiency projects since 1997.The Federal Government’s 2009 economic stimulus package included an additional USD3.1 billion for efficiency in existing federal government buildings. The Federal and State governments have also passed specific laws to facilitate EPC and accept up to 15-20 year payback periods to encourage more investments from ESCOs.

Research in the USA indicated that EPCs have delivered general benefit to cost ratios of 1.6 to 1, with higher 2.1 to 1 ratios for EPCs in health facilities.

In Australia, the Strategic Energy Efficiency Policy for Queensland Government Buildings has established the target to reduce their energy consumption by 5 % below 2005-06 levels by 2010, and 20 % by 2015. Some key features have been shared with the Victorian program where the use of EPC and facilitation by a single department, the Department of Public Works. The Department of Public Works has so far invested over 20 million dollars in improving the energy efficiency of 25 of the sites that it owns, and has reduced its energy use in those buildings by 18 megawatt hours per year.

In Korea, the annual turnover for Korean ESCOs has reached USD330 million in 2011, an increase of 63% compared to 2010. ESCO activity in Korea has managed avoided the consumption of energy equal to 1.3 Mtoe in 2011. At present ESCOs have been active in close to 50 countries globally.

Past and present efforts have been mainly on project basis which often ended with the end of each project’s duration. This has resulted in no clear impacts in energy performance improvements, economic benefits from investments made by private sectors and capital spent on periodical budgets spent by the government.'

ESCOs in Asia based on a study by Jyukankyo Research Institute of Japan in 2009 reported the Asian countries in which ESCO business development is proceeding and markets have formed to some degree, are only Japan, China, India, and Thailand. In other countries, such as Malaysia and the Philippines, there is great interest in ESCO business, and governments are currently taking measures to introduce ESCO projects, but markets have not yet been developed.

Based on the report presented and sourced from www.reexasia.com in 2011, Malaysia has the highest potential in energy efficiency in ASEAN which valued at USD907 million and USD530 million for building and industrial sector respectively  as illustrated in charts below.

The ranking according to the highest to the lowest for energy efficiency market in South-East Asia based on four criteria which are investment potential, payback period, regulatory support and ESCO development is summarized in the table below.

Criteria	Ranking
Investment Potentials	Malaysia Indonesia Thailand Singapore Vietnam Philippines
Payback Period	Singapore Philippines Vietnam Malaysia, Thailand Indonesia
Regulatory Support	Singapore, Thailand Malaysia, Philippines Indonesia, Vietnam
ESCO Development	Thailand  Singapore  Malaysia, Philippines Indonesia, Vietnam

For investment potentials, Malaysia is ranked number one but ranked at number four in payback period. This is mainly due to Malaysia’s lower electricity tariff which is heavily subsidized by the government. Malaysia is also lagged behind Singapore and Thailand at number two due to unavailability of comprehensive regulatory support.

With the lack of direction at the national level on holistic energy efficiency implementation, ESCO development in Malaysia has been affected as well where it ranked at number three behind Thailand and Singapore at number one and number two respectively.

The conclusion and the way forward

Prospects for energy efficiency around the world as reported by IEA are enormous where energy efficiency markets are expected to grow in all the regions and principally driven by energy price and policy. Much of that growth is anticipated to come from private investments enabled and encouraged by the government policy rather than direct public investment. Energy efficiency has a great potential and therefore many developed and developing countries have made energy efficiency as a strategic national level initiatives in its implementation. Here are some examples for selected countries around the world:-

1. The new Canadian National Energy Code is expected to save USD 350 million in 2020;
2. The French government is considering a nearly threefold increase in the target for the Certificats d’économie d’énergie obligation scheme to 600 TWh, stimulating energy efficiency investments in the building and transport sectors;
3. Germany’s 2010 Energy Concept could avoid USD 42 billion in energy costs in 2020. A 2% renovation rate requirement for buildings will deliver more and deeper energy-efficient retrofits, and provides certainty for market investors;
4. The market for fuel-efficient vehicles is accelerating rapidly in South Korea, with a requirement that suppliers shift from 30% to 100% compliance with a fuel efficiency standard of 17 kilometres per litre of fuel by 2015;
5. Standards entering into force for a range of appliances in the USA will lead to over 80 TWh of annual electricity savings by 2020. The ESCO industry and low-income weatherization industry will face challenges as federal recovery funding ends, but ESCO revenues are nonetheless projected to double to USD 13 billion by 2020;
6. From 2014, energy suppliers in EU member states will be required to achieve annual energy savings equivalent to 1.5% of their energy sales volume through to 2020. This is expected to lead to expanded energy efficiency investment across the EU;
7. China’s 12th Five-Year Plan envisages a 17% improvement in energy intensity, continuing the trend towards meeting the world average;
8. The UK government has developed polices to stimulate energy efficiency investments by households and businesses, which are expected to save 14.4 Mtoe of final energy consumption annually by 2020. The capital cost of the technical potential for energy efficiency in the residential buildings is estimated at USD 90 billion, of which USD 3.5 billion are low-cost measures; and
9. The Japanese Top Runner program, expected to deliver over USD 3 billion in consumer benefits through efficiency targets for lighting, vehicles and appliances, will broaden its scope to cover three-phase induction motors, LEDs, heat pumps and printers in 2015

The Efficient World Scenario of the IEA World Energy Outlook 2012 estimates that by implementing cost-effective energy efficiency measures and removing market barriers, total primary energy supply could be reduced by an additional 900 Mtoe in 2020 beyond those reductions generated from current and announced policy interventions. 

This additional 900 Mtoe in avoided energy is equivalent to 7% of 2010 global consumption, greater than the combined energy supply of Australia, Japan, Korea and New Zealand today, and would produce a corresponding reduction of USD 458 billion in consumer energy expenditure.

The energy efficiency market is growing in stature and maturity, but it is developing more rapidly than the ability to properly evaluate and understand it. A particular priority is to improve our capability to measure the size, nature and impact of energy efficiency markets and the outcomes from investments made in them.

Policy makers should consider expanding the use of effective strategies including energy efficiency resource standards, EPCs for targeted market segments, retrofit and etc. Given the large remaining market potential for the ESCO industry worldwide and recent project savings levels achieved as clearly recorded, there are significant untapped opportunities for the industry to develop new projects which substantially reduce future GHG emissions.

So, to answer the earlier question whether or not energy efficiency has business potentials that can make money like any other conventional industry, the answer is definitely yes and supported with the development at regions and countries and with facts and figures studied and identified. 

Based on my personal experiences through our investments using EPC business model for multi-national companies in Malaysia and some ASEAN countries, the returns from investments in energy efficiency projects is very good too with billions of monetary investments have been made globally by countries mentioned here.

Malaysia has to tap these ready-to-be-implemented opportunities for the country to be truly benefited from energy efficiency economically, socially and for its future environmental protection or facing the risks of opportunities lost to others in reaping its benefits as soon as possible in more holistic and sustainable manners.

Notes:

Sourced and compiled from various online reports.

Pelancaran muka Facebook Zaini4ee untuk mempromosi kecekapan tenaga

Pada 30 Jun 2015, saya telah memulakan satu lagi cara untuk mempromosi kecekapan tenaga di kalangan kenalan-kenalan Facebook saya dan juga menyasarkan orang awam dengan perkongsian maklumat-maklumat tentang amalan-amalan, teknologi dan aktiviti-aktiviti semasa berkaitan kecekapan tenaga.

Pautan Facebook yang saya lancarkan ialah www.facebook.com/Zaini4ee

Di antara objektif-objektif utamanya ialah:

1. Berkongsi maklumat dan fakta-fakta tentang faedah-faedah kecekapan tenaga di rumah dan di organisasi.
2. Berkongsi tentang teknologi-teknologi cekap tenaga yang praktikal dan boleh di perolehi dipasaran
3. Berkongsi maklumat tentang amalan-amalan cekap tenaga yang boleh digunapakai mengikut jenis-jenis pengguna tenaga
4. Maklumat tentang aktiviti atau program berkaitan kecekapan tenaga yang telah dan akan diadakan.

Paparan muka utama Facebook zaini4ee

Antara maklumat-maklumat yang dikongsi

Anda semua dijemput  berkongsi dan bertukar maklumat tentang kecekapan di sana dengan melayari dan tekan Like  di www.facebook.com/Zaini4ee untuk mendapat status terkini kemaskini dan perkongsian maklumat yang berlaku.

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