Government buildings to benefit from CFL retrofitting plan

MANILA, Philippines - At least 35 government-owned buildings stand to benefit from the $34-million compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) retrofitting project of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Under the Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP), Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said they expect to spend around P124 million for the CFL replacement project that would eventually redound to a P22 million yearly savings on electricity.

The project will be specifically funded by the ADB ($31 million); ASEAN Energy Fund ($1.5 million) and the Philippine government ($1.4 million).

The replacement of CFLs is part of the DOE’s efforts to provide direct economic benefits to the country by reducing energy demand and displacing imported fuel.

Lighting accounts for more than 50 percent of the evening peak load in rural Philippines.The use of proven technology in efficient lighting can reduce this demand by 40 to 80 percent.

The DOE said the replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs is expected to reap the following benefits: reduce peak demand by 400 megawatts, reduce oil imports by $120 million each year, generate clean development mechanism revenues of about $10 million for 2010-2012 and create an energy efficient market.

Aside from the government offices’ retrofitting program, the PEEP also includes public lighting retrofit, expansion of energy efficiency labeling, lamp waste facility, super ESCO (Energy Service Company), green building initiatives and communication, and social mobilization. The DOE will bid out the project any time soon.

About 50 percent of the carbon credits that would be realized from the project will be traded by the ADB and the remaining half by the DOE.

Included in the list of buildings that would benefit from this initiative are: the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Agriculture, Department of Budget and Mangement, the DOE, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Finance, Department of Health, Department of Justice, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Social Welfare and Development Department of Tourism, Department of Trade and Industry, Environmental Management Bureau, Land Transportation Office and Metro Manila Development Authority.

Other government offices that would be part of the project are: Mines and Geosciences Bureau, National Center for Mental Health, National Dairy Authority, National Economic and Development Authority, National Electrification Administration, National Food Authority, National Housing Authority, National Irrigation Administration, National Printing Office, National Telecommunications Commission, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Philippine Coconut Authority, Philippine Information Agency, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Philippine Trade Training Center, Securities and Exchange Commission and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.