Photo 1. Participants of the2nd EE&C-SSN Working Group Workshop on Appliances in Day 1
Jakarta, 15-16 September 2025 – The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), hosted the second meeting of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency and Conservation Sub-sector Network (EE&C-SSN) Working Group on Appliances. Delegates from ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN Secretariat, and various key partners gathered to deliberate on the agenda. Across both days, the meetings attracted a combined total of 82 participants, comprising 54 attending in person, and 28 joining online. Women represented approximately 34 per cent of the overall attendance, while men accounted for about 66 per cent, indicating broadly consistent gender representation across the two days. The opening day focused on assessing the progress of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Phase II: 2021–2025 in the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Programme Area, particularly within the Outcome-Based Strategy (OBS) 1 on Appliances. Discussions were organised according to appliance categories, beginning with refrigerators and distribution transformers on Day 1. On the second day, attention shifted to lighting and air conditioners, with deliberations centred on establishing clear and harmonised regional standards, ensuring reliable product testing, and promoting policies to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient appliances. On both days, participants also considered forward-looking strategies for the forthcoming APAEC 2026–2030, with a primary emphasis on harmonisation measures designed to increase market penetration of energy-efficient technologies throughout ASEAN.  |
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Photo 2. Opening Remarks were delivered by Dr. Ir. Hendra Iswahyudi (top left), Director of Energy Conservation; Dr. Supachai Sampao (top right), Chair of the EE&C-SSN Working Group for Appliances; and Naing Naing Linn, Head of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Department, ASEAN Centre for Energy.
The Meeting commenced with welcoming remarks from Dr. Hendra Iswahyudi, Director of Energy Conservation, MEMR Indonesia, who reaffirmed Indonesia’s strong commitment to advancing energy efficiency and encouraged deeper regional collaboration on harmonisation of energy performance standards for appliances. This session was followed by Dr. Supachai Sampao, Chair of the EE&C-SSN Working Group for Appliances, who underlined the importance of the group’s collective efforts in achieving ASEAN’s energy intensity reduction targets and laying the groundwork for the next APAEC phase. At last, representing ACE’s Executive Director, Naing Naing Linn, Head of the Energy Efficiency & Conservation (EE&C) Department, ACE, highlighted the critical role of appliance efficiency in curbing energy demand and stressed the urgency of harmonising standards and labelling as a key pillar of APAEC Phase II: 2021–2025.
Photo 3. Presentation delivered by Aurelia Syafina Luthfi, Junior Officer of APAEC, ACE
The first session provided a comprehensive recap of the milestones and activities for appliances under APAEC Phase II, delivered by Aurelia Syafina Luthfi, Junior Officer of APAEC Department at ACE. She highlighted the accomplishments of the EE&C programme implementation, including the establishment of ASEAN EE&C-SSN Working Group on Appliances in 2024, focuses on the work on harmonisation of energy performance standards of appliances and equipment.
Photo 4. Isagani C. Erna, ASEAN Secretariat, presenting the Regional Initiative on Standards Harmonisation in ASEAN.
The Meeting continued with a presentation from the ASEAN Secretariat, presented by Isagani C. Erna, Assistant Director of Standard and Conformance Division, discussing Regional Initiative on Standards Harmonisation in ASEAN. During this session, he outlined efforts to integrate energy efficiency into the ASEAN Electronic and Electrical Equipment Mutual Recognition Agreement (EE MRA), including nomination of designated bodies, alignment of national standards, and draft guidelines for energy efficiency lighting, as discussed at the 40th Joint Sectoral Committee on Electronic and Electrical Equipment (JSC-EEE) Meeting on 5 August 2025.
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Photo 5. Ms. Irma Ramadan (left) and Ms. Hartina Hiromi Satyanegara (right), launched the ASEAN Regional Product Registration System (PRS)
The Meeting witnessed the official launch of ASEAN Regional Product Registration System (PRS), which stood out as its central highlight. Irma Ramadan, Senior Officer and Hartina Hiromi Satyanegara, ICT Officer, both from ACE, presented the platform, a centralised repository designed to increase the visibility of energy-efficient appliances, support market surveillance, and facilitate the future implementation of a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).  |
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Photo 6. Representative from various ASEAN Countries who attends in person delivered their country reports
The Meeting also conveyed the Country Reports from ASEAN State Members (AMS), where delegates from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand presented updates on their national policies and regulatory frameworks. The presentations revealed a diverse landscape of progress, with several countries implementing new or more stringent Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for key products like air conditioners and lighting. However, challenges related to testing capacity, market surveillance, and public awareness were common themes.  |
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Photo 7. Presentations were delivered by Dan Resky Valeriz (left), Technical Officer at the ASEAN Centre for Energy, on the Regional Policy Roadmap on Refrigerators, and by Rio Jon Piter Silitonga (right), Senior Officer at the ASEAN Centre for Energy, on distribution transformers.
During the afternoon session, Dan Resky Valeriz, Technical Officer of ACE presented a regional market assessment showing refrigerators as the second-largest source of household energy use in ASEAN. He underlined the wide disparity in national MEPS and testing methods, hence stressing the need for developing a regional policy roadmap to harmonise MEPS and testing standards, and accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient refrigerators across the region. The session on distribution transformers, led by Rio Jon Piter Silitonga, Senior Officer of ACE, emphasising on the need for a planned market assessment and the development of a regional roadmap as a key activity in the upcoming APAEC phase. This was followed by a session on Policy Mapping and Data Collection Needs for Distribution Transformers, presented by Arika Dhia, Technical Officer from ACE, and Zahra Aninda Pradiva, Junior Officer from ACE. They underlined that, due to the long lifespan of distribution transformers and the ongoing shift towards electrification, adopting efficient models would be beneficial for strengthening grid efficiency and resilience, which underscores the importance of harmonised testing protocols as a foundation for regional MEPS. The presenters also identified key data gaps and called for coordinated surveys, interviews, and stakeholder engagement to strengthen ASEAN’s policy and data framework for advancing energy efficiency.  |
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Photo 8. Presentation on Policy Mapping and Data Collection Needs for Distribution Transformers, delivered by Arika Dhia (left), Technical Officer and Zahra Aninda Pradiva (right), Junior Officer, both from ACE
The day concluded with an open discussion where member states collectively highlighted both priorities and challenges. The Meeting underscored the importance of expanding appliance standards to cover a broader range of products, while also expressing concern about the high costs associated with testing and compliance for new appliances. The dialogue reflected a shared commitment to addressing these barriers collaboratively and set a constructive tone for the subsequent technical sessions.  |
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Photo 9. Presentations delivered by Dr. Anies Mutiari from B4T Laboratory (Left) and and . Sommai Phon Amnuaisuk (right) from IIEC
On the second day, the meeting began with a session on detailed review of the region’s energy efficiency testing capabilities, led by presentations on the completed Round-Robin Test for Lighting. The results, presented by Dr. Anies Mutiari from B4T Laboratory, demonstrated strong technical competence and compatibility among the four participating laboratories from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. This successful inter-laboratory comparison provides a critical foundation of trust for the mutual recognition of test reports across the region.
Photo 10. Presentations delivered by Steve Coyne from IIEC
Following this, Steve Coyne, International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC), presented a broader analysis of ASEAN’s 27 accredited photometric testing laboratories, highlighting the need for greater certification against harmonised regional standards and identifying the need for further capacity building in areas such as photometry and measurement uncertainty.  |
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Photo 11. Presentation on the Regional Policy Roadmap for Lighting, delivered by Rizky Aditya Putra (left), ACE and Sommai Phon Amnuaisuk (right), IIEC
Discussions then continued to update the Regional Policy Roadmap for Lighting. Presentations led by Rizky Aditya Putra, Programme Manager of ALCBT at ACE and Sommai Phon Amnuaisuk from IIEC, emphasised that rapid technological advancements necessities the need for updating the Regional Policy Roadmap for Lighting, which was adopted in 2019. A key proposal was to conduct further market assessment of energy efficient lighting to serve as basis in updating the roadmap, including scope expansion and gradual strengthening of MEPS for lighting.  |
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Photo 12. Presentation on the updates of Regional MVE Guidelines for Lighting, delivered by Vu Trong Duc Anh, ACE (left), and on the expansion of ASEAN EEE MRA into energy efficiency lighting, delivered by Mardika Firlina, ACE(right).
The meeting continued with Vu Trong Duc Anh, Technical Officer of ACE, presenting the development of regional MVE guidelines for lighting, noting inputs from eight AMS and underscoring the need to strengthen monitoring, verification, and enforcement systems. Mardika Firlina, Technical Officer of ACE, then outlined progress on expanding the ASEAN EEE MRA to include energy-efficient lighting, as mandated by the 37th ASEAN Ministers of Energy Meeting (AMEM).
Photo 13. Cahyo Adisaputro, ACE, delivered the presentation on the Updates on Regional Green Public Procurement (GPP) Guidelines for Air Conditioners
The session on Regional GPP Guidelines for Air Conditioners, presented by Cahyo Adisaputro, Senior Officer at ACE and Sommai Phon Amnuaisuk from IIEC, highlighted the initiative to develop Regional GPP Guidelines for promoting the adoption of energy efficient AC in ASEAN region by harmonising energy efficiency criteria into the public procurement activities. The development of the guidelines is also complimented green procurement assessment tool.
Photo 14. Natalia Derodofa from ASEAN Secretariat, presenting the ASEAN SCP Framework
The meeting then continued by Natalia Derodofa from ASEAN Secretariat by introducing the ASEAN Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Framework, adopted in 2021 under Indonesia’s leadership with support from partners such as UNEP and EU SWITCH-Asia. The framework advances SDG-12 by promoting green products, sustainable lifestyles, and GPP, with implementation coordinated by ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Education (AWGEE) and progress reported annually through ASEAN Senior Official on the Environment (ASOEN).
