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Dr Supichai Tangjaitrong, a member of the Energy Regulatory Commission, said a Taiwanese firm proposed an energy-savings idea at a recent meeting in which companies, labouring under hefty monthly electricity bills, may benefit from big savings.

It sounds like a win-win proposal. The Taiwanese service provider will be responsible for an initial investment in electronic sensors, gadgets and other equipment that will allow large corporate and industrial users to reduce power consumption on an automated basis.

So far, saving electricity is manual and voluntary. Companies just ask their employees to turn off lights or air-conditioners during lunchtime or to selectively switch off units when not in use.

To boost efficient energy savings, automation is clearly the answer. However, it would cost a fortune for companies to install the latest sensors and high-tech equipment.

As a result, the unnamed firm from Taiwan has proposed that it will invest in an automated electricity savings system for selected companies that have the potential to be cost-effective.

Hence, your company risks no up-front spending if you meet the qualifications to join the programme.

For example, if your monthly electricity bill is, say, Bt1 million on average, the tentative target of savings on electricity charges should be Bt300,000 per month or 30 per cent off the bill.

If the service provider is positive your firm can achieve the target, it will enter into an agreement with you to bear the initial cost of investment to make "smart" power management systems for your offices and factories. Then you pay this back in instalments over an extended period via the savings in your power bill. As a power user, you do not take the risk if the costly system does not work or fails to meet the saving target. The service provider will take that responsibility.

Of your Bt1-million monthly bill, your savings could be Bt300,000 if the overall system is properly designed and implemented.

For example, lights may dim or switch off automatically depending on the number of people present or the level of natural lighting.

The air-con control system adjusts room temperatures intelligently based on sensors that detect the number of people in a given room and heat generated by their presence.

Let's say the power user earns half of the amount or Bt150,000 as a bonus off the monthly bill, while the other half is taken by the service provider as the monthly instalment to cover its cost and profit for 24 months or 36 months or even longer, depending on the agreement.

Lights, air con, take action!