15 September 2014: The Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) Initiative and the ASEAN Standards Harmonization Initiative for Energy Efficiency (ASEAN SHINE) have announced a partnership to promote energy efficient air conditioners (ACs) in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

This collaboration, motivated by the increased energy demand driven by increasing use of ACs, will help energy regulators in ASEAN countries establish energy efficiency standards for ACs. Such efficiency standards are designed to improve energy efficiency and be financially beneficial to consumers without compromising performance, quality and safety.

The SEAD Initiative has developed technical guidelines for policymakers on both challenges posed by increased energy demand and opportunities presented by energy efficient technologies; and offers technical support and use of the Policy Analysis Modeling System for Minimum Energy Performance Standards (PAMS-MEPS) tool to help implement national policy roadmaps for the adoption of energy efficiency standards for ACs and other space cooling appliances. Applying the PAMS-MEPS, developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, will foster market transformation towards more efficient air conditioning. The member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

More specifically, the SEAD Initiative: deploys and transfers user-friendly analytical tools to help policymakers assess the benefits of energy efficiency policies and programmes; provides expertise to foster development of national and regional appliance energy efficiency standards; and builds technical capacity in government regulating agencies.

The SEAD Initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation helps accelerate the transition toward cleaner energy use through energy efficiency programmes. ASEAN SHINE is a regional programme aimed at increasing the market share of higher efficiency ACs in ASEAN. [CEM Press Release] [ASEAN SHINE Website] [SEAD Initiative Website] [SEAD AC Strategy]