Draft2:International Partnership on Energy Efficiency Cooperation

International Partnership on Energy Efficiency Cooperation on Wikipedia

The International Partnership on Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC) was established in May 2009 as a high-level forum for discussion, information exchange and facilitating joint action on a voluntary basis to promote energy efficiency.

Including the United States, there are currently 14 member countries, all major economies. The formal organization is limited to a small Secretariat hosted at the International Energy Agency. DOE has the lead on IPEEC for the U.S. Government, and leads and staffs delegations. Members voluntarily undertake and fund initiatives. DOE annual funding commitment to support the Secretariat is approximately $500,000, plus additional discretionary funding for projects.

Official Site - ipeec.org

DOE Point of Contact

• David Rodgers, EE, 202-586-9665, david.rodgers@ee.doe.gov
• Francesca Costantino, PI, 202-586-6569, francesca.costantino@hq.doe.gov

Membership

The IPEEC is open to national governmental entities and intergovernmental organizations. Membership is determined by the Policy Committee acting by consensus and contingent upon signature of the IPEEC Terms of Reference.

Membership as of January 26, 2010:

1. Federative Republic of Brazil
2. Canada
3. People’s Republic of China
4. European Union
5. France
6. Germany
7. India
8. Italy
9. Japan
10. Republic of Korea
11. Mexico
12. Russian Federation
13. United Kingdom
14. United States of America

How can a country join IPEEC?

The IPEEC Policy Committee accepts new members by a consensus decision-making process. The IPEEC Policy Committee is not on an active recruitment drive as it is focusing on standing up the organization and getting each of the projects on a sound financial footing. The next opportunity to have a new member approved would be at Policy Committee in October 2010. If a country wants to apply, membership requests can be submitted to Mr. Soichi Seki, Chair of the Executive Committee and to Mr. Amit Bando, Executive Director of the IPEEC Secretariat. No format restrictions but the application should state why the country wants to join and what it can contribute.

All countries are welcome to join IPEEC projects. Membership on those projects, such as SEAD, EMAK, or SBN, is determined by the lead for that project and under IPEEC rules, any country is allowed to join with the consent of the existing members.

Background

Genesis of the organization

Starting with the 2005 G8 meeting in Gleneagles, interest in cooperation to increase the efficiency of producing and using energy has increased among the major economies as a means of achieving climate goals and meeting energy needs by reducing requirements to increase supply. The European Union, Japan, and the United State had been separately developing ideas for international collaboration on efficiency in response to the multiplication of multilateral and bilateral efficiency efforts, and combined efforts to create IPEEC. The G8+5 adopted a declaration at Aomori, Japan, June 8, 2008 calling for establishment of IPEEC, with formal signing of the terms of reference by founding members following on May 24, 2009.

Governance structure

Policy Committee - as IPEEC’s governing body, governs the overall framework and policies of the organization, including financial arrangements, reviews the work of the Task Groups, Executive Committee and Secretariat, and provides direction to the Executive Committee. Composed of Assistant Secretary and Director General level representatives from member countries.

• Executive Committee - oversees the organization of the annual meetings of the Policy Committee, examines and adopts the program of work and the budget for each year, examines membership requests, provides guidance to and oversees the work of the Secretariat, and develops proposals for and reviews the work of the Task Groups. Japan is current Chair and the United States, France, and India are Vice-Chairs.
• IPEEC Secretariat - hosted by the IEA; will service the Executive Committee and address administrative functions, such as organizing IPEEC meetings and workshops, forwarding membership requests to the Executive Committee, disseminating information on IPEEC through a website, annual report, and other publications, and maintaining records.
• Task Groups - composed of member country representatives who voluntarily participate in and contribute funding to an area of the work program.

Program of Work

IPEEC’s program of work currently consists of six country led projects and two projects to be undertaken by the IPEEC Secretariat. Each IPEEC member country can choose with projects to participate in and contribute funding to. Non-IPEEC member countries and NGO’s have the option to join each activity if approved by the lead Task Group country.

IPEEC Secretariat Projects:

1. Compilation and Summary of National Energy Efficiency Action Plans and Activities
2. Inventory and Review of Multilateral and Other International Energy Efficiency Initiatives

IPEEC Country Projects with Country Lead:

1. GEEAI - Global Energy Efficiency Action Initiative,Italy
2. SBN - Sustainable Buildings Network, Germany
3. Assessment of Energy Efficiency Finance Mechanisms, India
4. EMAK – Energy Management Action NetworK for Industrial Efficiency, Japan
5. Improving Methods for Measuring and Verifying Energy Efficiency, France
6. SEAD - Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment, United States

Importance to U.S. Government and DOE

Energy efficiency is the most important near-term step to address the threat of global climate change. More than half of energy-related mitigation needs to come from efficiency improvements by 2030 (IEA). To reach this goal, the global community must double the annual rate of energy efficiency deployment; this will require serious policy reform. IPEEC puts in place the institutional framework to reach this goal.

Current issues or initiatives of interest to DOE

IPEEC’s governing body is the Policy Committee, and the United States has nominated DOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Cathy Zoi to serve as the first Chair. Strong U.S. leadership through the Policy Committee will ensure that IPEEC aligns with U.S. policy objectives at this crucial stage of IPEEC’s organizational development.

DOE/USG Objectives for the Organization:

IPEEC is an important initiative for the United States and the Department. This high profile effort can reinforce U.S. leadership on clean energy technology and climate change and can act as implementing agent for initiatives under the Major Economies Forum; IPEEC has endorsed the Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment project under Climate REDI (the Climate Renewables and Efficiency Deployment Initiative).

Meetings

Report back from recent meetings:

2nd Executive Committee meeting, January 25 & 26, 2010.

• Attended by David Rodgers, Mark Friedrichs, and Joseph Teng
• IPEEC formally approved the adoption of a new U.S.-led project –Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD). The majority of IPEEC member countries expressed support for the project. The U.S. will circulate a revised technical work plan and additional support document in the coming weeks to secure the participation of a broad number of both IPEEC member and non-member countries.
• The Executive Committee formally approved holding the high-level Policy Committee meeting in Washington, D.C. during the week of May 10th, adjacent to the Alliance to Save Energy’s EE Global Forum.
• Several well-qualified applications have been received for the Head of Unit position of the IPEEC Secretariat. The ExCo approved a selection process to be organized by IEA.
• Lead countries presented on the overall progress made on each project under the IPEEC Program of Work.
• The European Commission (representing the European Union) formally signed the IPEEC Terms of Reference to become a formal member.
• Indonesia and Australia attended as observer countries

Upcoming meetings:

• April 22-23, Paris, France – Workshop to further develop project plan for Improving Methods for Measuring and Verifying Energy Efficiency
• May 10, 2010, Washington, D.C. – EMAK and SBN meetings concurrent with the Energy Efficiency Global Forum Exposition.
• May 11, 2010, Washington, D.C. - First Policy Committee meeting, concurrent with the Global Forum Exposition.
• Fall 2010 (TBD), Paris, France - 3rd Meeting of the Executive Committee.

Links to other trip reports:

Document Library & Links to Additional Information

1. IPEEC Terms of Reference
2. IEA-IPEEC Memorandum of Understanding
3. Working project description for Global Energy Efficiency Action Initiative
4. Working project description for Sustainable Buildings Network
5. Working project description for Assessment of Energy Efficiency Finance Mechanisms
6. Working project description for EMAK – Energy Management Action Network for Industrial Efficiency
7. Working project description for Improving Methods for Measuring and Verifying Energy Efficiency
8. Working project description for SEAD - Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment