e-Notes

August  
2019  

The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) of Thailand, with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), has initiated the Project titled “Promoting Household Energy Conservation through Feedback Services and Home Energy Audit on Residential Sustainable Lifestyle Programs” to promote energy conservation in Thai households through behavioral changes and adoption of energy efficient appliances. Under this project, IIEC, in partnership with the Engineering Solution Provider Co., Ltd. (ENSOP) and Jyukankyo Research Institute Inc. (Japan), provides technical assistance to PEA to implement project activities which include: conducting 4,200 household surveys and appliance retailer surveys in target provinces; developing household appliance and electricity consumption database; piloting energy consumption feedback and home energy audit services in 100 households.

As of July 2019, the project team completed electrical appliance and energy use surveys in more than 4,200 households in four provinces located in the Central and Southern regions of Thailand (Pathum Thani, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, and Phuket). The retailer surveys focusing on availability and energy performance of home appliances were also completed and databases populating with the results from the household and retailer surveys have been developed. Currently, the pilot implementation of energy consumption feedback and home energy audit services are underway.

International experiences have shown that provisions of information on energy consumption and simple no-cost energy efficiency measures to residential households are one of the most cost-effective measures to reduce energy consumption in the residential sector. The project aims to evaluate the impacts of the pilot energy consumption feedback and home energy audit services over the next two months.

 
 
Piloting Energy Consumption Feedback and Home Energy Audit Services in 100 Households

With grant support from the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP), IIEC has been collaborating with governments, businesses and industry associations in Pacific Island Countries (PICs) to demonstrate efficient and clean cooling technologies, and innovative business models to enhance awareness and promote greater adoption of clean cooling technologies. A call for proposals was launched in January 2019 with applicants from Palau, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu were the grant winners.

In Palau, split-type room air conditioners with R401A refrigerant are the most common cooling technologies for government and commercial buildings. To promote a more climate-friendly air conditioner, the Palau Energy Administration (PEA) has partnered with the Palau Public Utilities Corporation (PPUC) to pilot an on-bill financing program to enable PPUC’s clients to install energy efficient variable speed room air conditioners with R32 refrigerant and pay the investment cost back by installments through electricity bills. 

In the Solomon Islands, the Solomon Islands Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Association (SIRAC) aims to demonstrate of sheltering effects on the operational efficiency of old and new split-type room air conditioners installed in government and commercial facilities in the country.  In Vanuatu, the country with 83 islands, water transport is the most important mode of transportation serving people’s needs for daily travel, food, medicines, etc.  Tuff Boat Limited (Vanuatu) plans to develop a sustainable mobile cooling/freezing system that can be used as an economical form of transporting fresh produce in a safe and healthy way. A prototype of the 7-meter long boat with a built-in solar powered refrigerator/freezer will be designed, constructed and tested before the end of 2019.

 
7-meter Banana Boat for Built-in Solar Freezer (Left) and
Typical Installation of Room Air-Conditioner in the Solomon Islands

IIEC has partnered with the United for Efficiency (U4E), a global effort under the leadership of UN Environment to support developing countries and emerging economies to move their markets to energy-efficient appliances and equipment, to implement the 3-year GEF funded project, entitled “Delivering the Transition to Energy Efficient Lighting in Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Outdoor Sectors in Pakistan”.

Under this partnership, IIEC provides expertise and technical assistance to support the development of the National Efficient Lighting Strategy, design of a revolving loan fund (RLF) for the financing of energy efficient lighting products, and implementation of pilot demonstration projects on LED lighting.  The IIEC experts completed a mission to Islamabad and Karachi from April 28^th to May 7^th, 2019 to discuss with the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and local financial institutions, national consultants, and potential demonstration project hosts. Preparation of the National Efficient Lighting Strategy and design of the revolving loan fund will be completed by the third quarter of 2019.

 
IIEC and NEECA visited the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad (Left) and
Meeting with the State Bank of Pakistan and Local Financial Institutions

IIEC has been contracted by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to support implementation of activities related to the Thailand Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (RAC NAMA) project.  Specifically, IIEC is responsible for providing technical assistance to the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE), under the Ministry of Energy, Thailand, in development of a proposal for establishment of a chiller testing facility in Thailand, and delivery of recommendations on enabling effective implementation of mandatory energy labeling in Thailand.

IIEC supported GIZ in organizing a roundtable meeting on July 10^th, 2019, to initiate discussion regarding the requirements and potential of establishing a chiller testing facility in Thailand. The roundtable meeting was attended by more than 20 participants representing government and industry entities. Results of the roundtable meeting will be digested and addressed in finalizing the study, which can serve as a technical input to Thailand in establishing a chiller testing facility.
 

 
A Roundtable Meeting on Establishing Chiller Testing Facility
in Thailand, held on July 10^th, 2019

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC), endeavor to implement a new project complementing the ongoing activities by SDC on Energy Efficiency in India, focusing on the “Integration of Renewable Energy in Buildings”. The broad objective of this project is to design, showcase and monitor building integrated renewable energy technologies suitable to local conditions. The renewable energy technologies will be applied at different types of buildings, which is currently given a major push at the government level in India. The project will contribute to various global processes in the areas of climate change mitigation, urban development, and resource efficiency improvement.

The project also tends to contribute towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, Goal 8: Decent work and Economic growth, Goal 9: Industry innovation and Infrastructure, Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and Goal 13: Climate Action and, the Paris Agreement. The broad outcomes expected are primarily: 1) Demonstration of Technological Interventions for Building Integrated Renewable Energy; 2) Development of Research, Monitoring Methods and Manuals to Measure the Performance of Systems; and 3) Built Capacity and Support and Preparation of Knowledge Products.

International Institute for Energy Conservation – India (IIEC - India) and UN Environment with funding support from Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) have launched a project to build air quality monitoring and tracking capacity among government, industrial, and utility partners. The project will provide a critical proof of concept that: the cities in the developing countries can achieve significant, measurable reductions in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions using private financing to capture the benefits of investing in smart energy management. Gujarat and Odisha have been selected as the two pilot states in India for demonstration and delivery of cost-effective air pollution reduction strategies through smart management of industrial and utility energy use.

In addition, the project is supporting in kind, another UN Environment backed project funded by Clean Air Asia (CCA) in implementing the similar activities and experience gained from the two states in the city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh.

The project has conducted a launch work shop organized in Jharsuguda, Odisha, The project will deliver: 1) Improved understanding among government, industrial, and utility partners of the linkages between air quality and utility/industrial energy management; 2) Demonstrated potential for reducing air pollution levels to achieve multiple health-related and economic benefits through smart management of electricity generation, transmission, distribution and industrial end uses; and 3) Developed and tested approach for attracting bundled private finance for clean energy solutions.  

Mr. Sanjay Dube briefing the stakeholders at project launch workshop in Jharsuguda, Odisha

The GEF Council approved UNEP-IEA Lead Electric Vehicle along with 16 country projects. International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC) has received an assignment form UN Environment to develop GEF CEO Endorsement document (GCED) and related annexes proposal for India and Maldives based on the approved child project concept for the two countries. The activities undertaken in the assignment will include: GEF CEO Endorsement request document as well as all UN Environment annexes and appendices for the GEF 7 cycle project, specifically focusing on:  

• Undertake information gathering and analysis on electric vehicle necessary for preparing the GCED and related annexes;
• Undertake consultations with key stakeholders as agreed with UN Environment and ADB in understanding the needs and in developing the deliverables for the project to meet the outputs and outcomes outlined in the Child Project Concept;
• Identify potential co-financing contributions and undertake discussions to seek collaboration and co-financing letters from partners;
• Prepare a final draft of the full GCED and annexes under the guidance of UN Environment as per the detailed annotated templates included in Annex I for submission to internal UN Environment review processes (including the Project Review Committee – PRC) and post approval by PRC to the GEF Secretariat;
• Review all PRC / GEF Sec comments on the CEO Endorsement Document, propose responses and ensure review sheets are developed timely and with high quality.

IIEC is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. John R. Mollet as Chairman of IIEC's Board of Directors, to succeed Mr. Rob Pratt, effective from 1 June 2019. Mr. Mollet has been engaged with IIEC as a board member for the past 16 years and will be working with IIEC team to pursue sustainable energy and environmental programs in developing countries and countries in transition.

Mr. John R. Mollet, is currently an advisor on sustainable energy strategies and partnerships, focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and universal access to electricity. Besides being Chair of IIEC, Mr. Mollet also serves on the Board of CLASP and on the steering committees of other energy efficiency organizations.

From 1998 through 2012, Mr. Mollet was Vice President at the International Copper Association. In this role, he was responsible for partnerships with governments, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, foundations and corporations. He coordinated global strategies and initiatives mainly around sustainable energy but also building construction, technology, health, environment, and sustainable development.

Prior to 1998, Mr. Mollet held management positions at Bekaert and Sefar corporations (respectively, Belgian and Swiss headquartered companies). He was responsible for a wide variety of markets and technologies including steel reinforced tires, plastics, electromagnetic interference shielding, and precision filtration e.g. for medical, pharmaceutical, aerospace and automotive applications.

Outgoing Chairman Rob Pratt – Appreciation

Robert L. Pratt, one of the founding members of IIEC in 1984 and having served a total of 22 years as Chairman of the IIEC Board of Directors, vacated his position as the Chairman in May 2019. Rob intends to continue development activities with the IIEC, primarily in EE and RE initiatives.

Rob has been a national and international leader in clean energy for more than 40 years, as a for-profit and non-profit entrepreneur, a clean energy funder, and a governmental leader and has been a policy leader in energy efficiency and renewable energy for much of his career. Mr. Pratt is the founder and Chairman, and until recently the CEO, of GreenerU, a company dedicated to helping colleges and universities become climate leaders while reducing energy, water and infrastructure costs. He was the founder, Chairman and CEO of Energia Global International (EGI, now Enel Latin America), a company that became one of the leading renewable energy companies in Central America. From a startup in 1991, EGI became the largest private power company in Costa Rica through the development, financing and construction of high head hydroelectric and wind projects, with substantial power and distribution assets in Guatemala, El Salvador and Chile.  

Prior to GreenerU, Rob was the Senior Vice President of the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, where he led foundation initiatives focused on energy efficiency policy and financing innovations. He also served as Director of the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, a major fund promoting the development of renewable energy projects as well as clean energy economic development in MA. Rob was a former board member of the Alliance to Save Energy and currently serves as the Chairman Emeritus,  Advisory Board member of the American Council on Renewable Energy; Executive Committee and Executive Committee and board member of the New England Clean Energy Council.
 
The IIEC Board of Directors, management and staff are appreciative of Rob’s contribution to IIEC’s mission over 3 decades and wish him the very best in his future endeavors.

 
Mr. John R. Mollet (left) and Mr. Robert L. Pratt (right)

We are pleased to announce the joining of following key staff at IIEC's Bangkok and New Delhi Offices:

Sopin Wachirapuwadon is the senior project manager of the IIEC, based in Bangkok office, Thailand. She has more than 20 years of experience in the development and implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in SME and industrial facilities, energy audits and benchmarking, market studies and assessments, includes preparation of energy policy studies related to demand response and smart grid master plan. She has experience of private renewable energy investment on financial bankable processes and technical due diligence, particularly industrial-scale biogas systems.

She has also relevant practical experience on climate change - implementation of the successfully registered CDM- renewable energy biogas power plant. Before joining IIEC, Sopin worked with Excellent Energy International, one of the most active Energy Service Company (ESCO) in Thailand, and GIZ. She also supported the EEP Mekong Programme and UNIDO in the evaluation of their energy programs in the region. She holds a Master’s degree in the field of energy technology and also an MBA. Sopin has practical experience in working with government agencies and industry in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. 

Disha Sharma is engaged as Project Manager in our New Delhi office, where she manages many projects related to review and analysis of design and intervention related to energy efficiency, artificial lighting system, efficient buildings, renewable integration, and calculation and documentation for compliance of green rating systems projects for multilateral/bilateral institutions like UNEP, The World Bank, MacArthur Foundation, and GCF.  

She was recently engaged in Developing Nationally appropriate Mitigation Action Plan for four south East Asian Countries - Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and The Philippines, where she reviewed existing building policies.

 
Sopin Wachirapuwadon, Senior Project Manager (left) and
Disha Sharma, Project Manager (Right)