50 Cebu companies join training to save energy

CEBU, Philippines - Managers and supervisors from 50 industrial and service companies in Cebu attended the two-day National Training Workshop on Energy Efficiency and Conservation held recently at Crown Regency, Lapu-Lapu City. 

The training intends to introduce the ASEAN developed Total Energy Management (TEM) Handbook to 600 companies nationwide in order to generate energy savings estimated at P60 billion annually.

The handbook provides a system that will enable companies to establish targets and develop their energy efficiency and conservation programs.

The TEM Handbook is a first of its kind in the world which is designed for use in industries by factory managers, middle managers, engineers, workers and equipment operators.

It was first introduced in Thailand in 2005 and made excellent results of energy savings of about $1.2 Million in seven months.

The participants were also trained on efficient transport system and fuel efficiency; efficient combustion controls; heat rate improvements; efficient heat, ventilation and air conditioning system: efficient lighting systems and efficient electric motors. Training speakers were energy management experts from DOE and top energy service companies in the country.

The DOE discussed also during the training the Don Emilio Abello Energy Efficiency Awards given yearly to outstanding companies and energy managers who have undertaken energy efficiency and conservation programs to achieve substantial savings in their energy consumption.

Other energy awards are the ASEAN Best Practices Award in Buildings and ASEAN Energy Management Award in Major Industries and Buildings.

The Cebu leg is the 10th run of the 15 training-workshops conducted nationwide by the DOE in partnership with the Development Academy of the Philippines.

Energy Efficiency and Conservation is one of the major programs of the DOE which is geared towards attaining the country’s energy independence especially from the use of imported fossil fuels.

It promotes the use of technology that requires less energy use without reducing outputs and elimination of unnecessary energy use through behavioral change.