The Department of Energy (DOE) is calling on all energy-intensive businesses, including manufacturers, to submit the two required annual energy reports on or before April 15.

This is part of the obligations of designated establishments (DEs) under Republic Act No. 11285 or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act (ECCA), according to Patrick Aquino, director of DOE’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau in a recent webinar.

The ECCA, which took effect on May 22, 2019, seeks to institutionalize energy efficiency and conservation, enhance efficient use of energy, and grant incentives to energy efficiency and conservation projects.

In line with this, DOE issued last year Memorandum Circular No. 2020-05-0001 directing all DEs in commercial, industrial and transport sectors to comply with their obligations under the Act.

DEs are establishments with an annual energy consumption of not less than 100,000 kilowatt-hour equivalent (kWhE).

MC No. 2020-05-0001 classifies DEs into three types based on their annual energy consumption of fuel and electricity.

o Other Designated Establishment – 100,000 kilowatt-hour equivalent (kWhE) but less than 500,000 kWhE
o Type 1 Designated Establishment – 500,000 kWhE to 4,000,000 kWhE
o Type 2 Designated Establishment – more than 4,000,000 kWhE

The DE’s classification will determine the extent of its obligations, according to Aquino.
All DEs are required to accomplish two annual reports-energy conservation report and energy consumption report-and submit them to DOE not later than April 15 of each year.

The Annual Energy Efficiency and Conservation Report or AEECR (EEC Form 3) should contain the DE’s ongoing energy conservation measures; available historical energy consumption by fuel type; and reporting year energy consumption, projected and actual (2020 and 2021 for this year).

The Annual Energy Utilization Report or AEUR (EEC Form 4) will contain the energy consumption per activity and business activity area (covering the period 2016-2021 for this year).

Forms 3 and 4 may be accomplished online by visiting https://bit.ly/DOE-Designated-Establishments.

However, DOE’s Artemio Habitan, OIC-division chief of energy efficiency and conservation, said at the same webinar that those who cannot comply with the requirement will not be penalized yet but will just be requested to submit the requirements. DOE, he added, is also ready to help those “who may not know how to fill out these reports.”

All DEs are also obligated to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and measures at their main/head office and at different facilities.

Aquino said that DEs are also encouraged but not mandated to integrate an energy management system policy into their business operations.

In addition, Type 1 DEs are required to employ an energy conservation officer (ECO), while Type 2 DEs are obliged to hire an energy conservation manager (ECM).

Aquino said that for now, DOE is only requiring the registration of the ECO and ECM, as the training modules and certification procedures are still under development.

DEs must use EEC Form 1 to register their energy manager, or accomplish EEC Form 2 to register the conservation officer.

The ECO/ECM registration form should also be submitted not later than April 15, 2021.
“Duly notify DOE in writing on the appointment or separation from the service of their respective ECO or ECM within 10 working days from the effectivity of these personnel actions,” Aquino added.

Further, Type 1 and Type 2 establishments should also conduct an energy audit once every three years and submit it to the DOE. The audit can be carried out by engaging the services of a certified energy auditor or an accredited energy service company.

DEs in the commercial sector include, among others, communication and broadcasting companies, construction companies and land developers, food chains and restaurants, malls and hospitals, and wholesale and retail traders.

Industrial DEs include those in manufacturing, quarrying and mining, oil refining, power distribution, and water concession.

DEs in the transport segment include those in air transport, land/road transport, sea transport, hauling/delivery services, and public transportation.

For those with queries, the DOE may be reached at doe.eumb@gmail.com, doe.epmpd@gmail.com, or facebook.com/doe-eumb-epmpd.