Government to save P20M due to energy efficiency project

AROUND P20 million projected annual savings is foreseen following the implementation of the Department of Energy's government building retrofit program under its Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP).

The retrofit targets 35 government buildings where existing lighting systems will be replaced with efficient lamps called T5 and efficient electronic ballast.

To date, the 22 buildings which have been retrofitted will result to one million kWh (kilowatt-hour) electricity reduction equivalent to monetary savings of as high as P10 million at P10/kWh per year, the DOE disclosed.

The 22 government buildings/agencies which have already benefited from the program include the National Food Authority, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Information Agency, National Telecommunications Commission, Philippine Coconut Authority, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Agriculture, Department of Tourism, National Electrification Administration, National Irrigation Administration, Land Transportation Office, Department of Science and Technology, National Economic Development Authority, National Dairy Authority, National Housing Authority, Environmental Management Bureau, and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, among others.

Other public buildings are expected to be retrofitted this month, the DOE said in its latest factsheet. The final impact of the project will be the reduced cost of power generation through the reduction of the peak demand.

PEEP project director Loreta Ayson was quoted as saying that a pragmatic lifestyle change is the key to our campaign. It is not only about changing our appliance to more energy efficient ones but also to have these best practices inculcated in each one of us.

The efficient lighting initiative also includes the national residential lighting program, the public lighting replacement program, and the carrying out of energy efficiency testing and lamp waste management, the DOE said. (CGC)