The ASEAN Energy Efficiency & Conservation Sub-sector Network (EE&C-SSN) met in Bangkok, Thailand on 7-8 March 2017 for the Post Meeting of ASEAN-Japan Energy Efficiency Partnership (AJEEP). The two-day Meeting was jointly organised by the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) and Energy Conservation Centre, Japan (ECCJ).  Hosted by Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE), Thailand, the Meeting was attended by 16 delegates from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand. Also in attendance were the representatives of Training of Trainers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, from ECCJ and ACE.

The Meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress AJEEP’s implementation in 2016-2017, as well as to further strengthen future cooperation aimed at contributing to the programmes of ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016-2020. The Meeting also served as a platform for the ASEAN Member States (AMS) and Japan to exchange views on current status of energy management, especially on energy managers training and certification system.

The Meeting was structured as follows: i) Basic Direction and Key Points for Evaluation of AJEEP 2016-2017; ii) Presentation of trial energy audit report by group A trainers under the AJEEP Scheme 2 programme; iii) Presentation of Road Map progress on energy manager training and certification system by ASEAN EE&C-SSN Focal Points; iv) Summary and Evaluation of AJEEP Scheme 2 Activities; v) Review and Results of AJEEP Scheme 3 Activities; and iv) Discussion on Enhancement and Improvement of Future Activities

The AJEEP programme has been implemented for 4 (four) years. During this period, the AMS and Japan have been continuously expanding and exploring different concepts to promote EE&C, enhance capacity building and disseminate information. During the 13^th Senior Officials Meeting on Energy and Ministry of Economic, Trade and Industry (SOME-METI) in July 2012, ASEAN and Japan agreed to bring 2 (two) work schemes to AJEEP programme: i) AJEEP Scheme 2 on enhancing the energy managers training and certification system in ASEAN; and ii)   AJEEP Scheme 3 on EE&C policy and regulation development for Cambodia and Lao PDR.

Noting on the successful implementation of AJEEP programme in 2016-2017 aligned with the plan, timeline and its deliverables, the ASEAN EE&C-SSN Focal Points expressed their appreciation to ACE’s and ECCJ’s collaboration. The Meeting encouraged the programme to continue building progress on the promotion of EE&C in the AMS, through enhanced promotion and dissemination of best practices in buildings and industries, capacity building to narrow development gaps, development of business networking and models, and energy management system to support the achievement of the EE&C’s outcome-based strategies under the APAEC 2016 -2020. (RJPS, featured photo credit:  ACE)