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Published on July 17, 2007

Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand told a seminar entitled "Energy Efficiency for Energy Conservation" yesterday that before 2011, the ministry would issue requirements on energy conservation that applied to machinery, electrical appliances and auto engines.

"We're drafting ministerial regulations to ensure the energy efficiency of 35 products. This will save Bt9 billion a year in energy bills, equal to 493,000 tonnes of crude oil," he said.

Mana Nitikul, director of the ministry's Energy Conservation Division, said in the first stage of the five-year plan, the ministry's regulations would set high and low energy-efficiency levels for several products. They include rice cookers, refrigerators, electric lamps, air-conditioners, electric fans, electric water pots, fluorescent lamps, motors, energy-saving light-bulbs and vehicles.

"This month, draft regulations to control the efficiency of five products will be ready for approval by the National Energy and Policy Council. The regulations will then be forwarded to the Cabinet and the Council of State," he said, adding that when the regulations came into effect, all controlled products would display energy-saving labels.

"The low- and high-efficiency requirements will drive inefficient products away from the market, particularly those from China," Mana said.

He said the energy efficiency of mobile phones would be reviewed next, following a number of accidents to users.

With regard to energy-use labelling, Mana said the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand would be responsible for labels on electrical products. The Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department will be responsible for labelling non-electrical products like glass sheets for building construction.

The department is also studying labelling vehicles in accordance with their energy consumption.

"We're working this out with auto companies, to encourage buyers to buy vehicles of high energy efficiency," Mana said.