Singapore slaps industry sector with new energy efficiency requirements

Energy managers and mandatory reporting imposed.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has introduced mandatory energy management requirements for large energy users in the industry sector in what it said was part of an effort to improve Singapore’s energy efficiency and competitiveness, These requirements will come into effect on 22 April 2013 under the Energy Conservation Act (ECA).

NEA said the industry sector accounts for more than half of Singapore’s energy demand. "In particular, the large energy users in this sector can play a major role in the national efforts to make Singapore more energy efficient."

Starting from 22 April 2013, these companies are required to register themselves with NEA and appoint one or more energy managers to monitor and manage their energy consumption. The companies are also required to report their energy consumption and provide information on processes resulting in greenhouse gas emissions, and submit energy efficiency improvement plans annually beginning in 2014.

The large energy users affected are those with business activities that consume more than 54 terajoules of energy annually in at least two of the three preceding years and whose business activities are attributable to manufacturing and manufacturing-related services; supply of electricity, gas, steam, compressed air, and chilled water for air-conditioning; or water supply and sewage and waste management.

These requirements affect some 170 companies which operate around 200 large energy consuming premises. To ensure the feasibility and practicability of the detailed requirements, NEA has conducted one-to-one industry consultations and briefings for these companies since the beginning of last year.

NEA has also been working closely with the affected companies to assist them in building up their capabilities for compliance with the mandatory energy management requirements. This was done through capability-building programmes, incentive schemes and training on the use of the online reporting system.