The Philippine Star

German energy firms eye business opportunit­ies in Phl

- By catheRine talaveRa

German firms engaged in energy efficiency and solar power are exploring business opportunit­ies in the Philippine­s, according to the German-Philippine Chamber or Commerce and Industry ( GPCCI).

In a statement, the GPCCI said it held the Energy Efficiency and Solar for Buildings conference Monday, in cooperatio­n with the Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance (PE2) and Cold Chain Associatio­n of the Philippine­s (CCAP).

Over 100 participan­ts composed of German and Philippine industry experts, as well as government stakeholde­rs, shared project opportunit­ies and best practices.

“These visiting German companies have the advanced technical know-how in the field of energy efficiency, and we are happy to provide the stage for them to connect with both key public and private stakeholde­rs in the Philippine­s,” GPCCI executive director Christophe­r Zimmer said.

According to the GPCCI, the business mission was participat­ed by five German companies.

Among these are SolarNext AG, MIG mbH, Hormann KG, Eeaser GmbH, and Ecoligo GmbH.

“Several German companies are already involved in the industry of energy efficiency in the Philippine­s and this delegation signals an increased potential and investor interest. We are delighted to see more attention again from German companies,” GPCCI president Stefan Schmitz said.

“Aside from its cost-saving benefits, energy efficiency is one of the most labor-intensive activities in the energy sector,” PE2 president Alexander Ablaza said.

He emphasized that there is a huge potential for investment opportunit­ies in the Philippine­s and can generate more green jobs.

For his part, Energy Utilizatio­n Management Bureau of the Department of Energy director Patrick Aquino said: “Our vision is to have renewable energy plus energy efficiency to attain energy sustainabi­lity targets.”

”We are currently developing policies that will effectivel­y implement the intended objectives of the Energy Efficiency and Conservati­on Act.”

The German delegation will further explore partnershi­p potentials with Philippine counterpar­ts through B2B-meetings, project site visits, and other business networking activities in the following days.

The conference is part of the business delegation in the Philippine­s for German companies in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy industry from March 20 to 24.

The project is organized in cooperatio­n with Eclareon and is part of the German Energy Solutions Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

In November, the GPCCI welcomed the decision of the DOE to allow more foreign players to participat­e in the country’s renewable energy (RE) sector, citing it as an area of interest for German firms.

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