PM launches energy efficiency programme

'Learning network' to help companies share best practices and technologies
Teh Shi Ning, Business Times 31 Oct 09;

PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced a new programme to promote energy efficiency among companies, at the launch of Clean and Green Singapore 2010 yesterday evening.

Speaking on climate change and sustainable development, Mr Lee said that while carbon emissions here are 'negligible' relative to global emissions, and Singapore is not obliged to cut emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, it will still bear its fair share of the collective global effort.

Singapore will 'reduce emissions from business-as-usual levels, provided other countries also commit to do their part in a global deal', he said.

Under the Sustainable Development Blueprint, Singapore has committed to reduce energy intensity (measured as consumption per dollar GDP) by 35 per cent by 2030, from 2005's levels.

To move towards that goal, the industry sector, being a major energy consumer, can do more, Mr Lee said. The National Environment Agency (NEA) says that industry accounts for almost 60 per cent of Singapore's total energy consumption. More energy-intensive sub-sectors include the petroleum refining, petrochemical, electronics and pharmaceutical industries.

Which is why the Energy Efficient National Partnership (EENP) programme has been rolled out by the National Environment Agency. 'The EENP programme will help companies to set energy efficiency goals and implement energy productivity improvement projects,' Mr Lee said.

It will be steered by a high-level committee of industry representatives, energy efficiency specialists and policymakers, chaired by Senior Parliamentary Secretary Amy Khor of the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.

The programme will start a 'learning network' to help companies share best practices and technologies, as well as a 'recognition scheme' under which NEA will give out annual awards to companies whose good energy management practices bear tangible results, as well as to employees and corporate teams which implement good energy efficiency projects.

Green scheme for firms
Today Online 31 Oct 09;

A new national initiative will get companies to set energy efficiency goals and put in place energy productivity improvement projects.

The Energy Efficiency National Partnership, launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday, is a voluntary scheme facilitated by the National Environment Agency.

It is hoped such measures will help businesses lower costs in the long run while reducing their carbon footprint.

The industry sector accounts for nearly 60 per cent of Singapore's total energy consumption, and NEA wants to target especially the oil and petrochemical, pharmaceutical and electronics industries.

"We've been working with several big companies like Pfizer and Schering Plough ... and having discussions on ideas and measures that we can explore," said NEA director of resource conservation Ong Seng Eng.

Employees and senior management who implement their plans and achieve energy savings will get recognition, he added. 938LIVE