Last week WWF-Myanmar piloted a new Solar and Energy Efficient Office Initiative being rolled out across the network. The initiative, funded by WWF Switzerland, aims to bring solar electricity to WWF offices, in combination with energy efficiency training for WWF staff.
The energy efficiency training programme has been developed in cooperation with Top Ten International, an independent international program which creates benchmarks for the most energy efficient products: www.topten.info. WWF-Myanmar was chosen to pilot the efficiency training known as Energy Efficiency Week.
"We are working to practice what we preach. WWF considers energy efficiency and renewable energy essential for a sustainable future and we need to ensure offices move from grid electricity and diesel generators and are using energy efficiently." said Jean-Philippe Denruyter, Energy Specialist, Greater Mekong Programme.
Energy Efficiency Week
For at least seven days prior to training, energy usage is measured to create a baseline. At the start of Energy Efficiency Week all staff receive a fun, interactive training session on energy efficiency measures in the office, around WWF projects and at home. Smappee, an energy monitoring system, is then set up to measure the energy use and progress over the week with results fed to an app showing real-time consumption overall and per device. Experiments are carried out with Watt metres on various appliances and daily temperature readings recorded.
In August average daytime temperatures in Yangon are around 30 degrees with high humidity and the baseline readings found that around 50% of energy usage was on air conditioning.
" We are not asking people to stop using air conditioners.We are asking that they think about their usage and take simple measures to improve efficiency like closing doors between rooms, increasing the minimum AC temp to 26 degrees plus, switching AC on a little later in the morning and off a little earlier in the afternoon as the day cools." said Shoon So Oo, Renewable Energy Manager, WWF Myanmar.
Results:
The results found that despite hotter temperatures and more staff in the office (compared to the baseline week) a 3% saving was made.
"The most significant savings were on 'AC' day," said Margaret Nyein Nyein Myint, Project Leader for Energy Efficiency Week. "Staff were asked to pay particular attention to their air conditioning usage but ensure they remained comfortable."
"This is a great foundation to build upon," said Denruyter. “If temperatures and staff occupation had remained the same the data show that we’d have seen savings in the region of 10% and as our recommendations are implemented savings will increase.”
Smappee will continue to be used to monitor the office remotely and fine tune the recommendations as a broader picture of energy use is built up.
Myanmar
Currently only 32% of Myanmar households have access to grid electricity. The rest of the population either have no power access or rely on unreliable or badly maintained diesel micro-grids and small solar systems. Power cuts are a daily occurrence particularly in the hot season. To help the government address their power needs sustainably WWF-Myanmar has produced a report: Myanmar's Electricity Vision: Updating the National Electricity Master Plan which shows how all Myanmar's power needs now and in the future can be met by renewable energy in combination with sustainable usage.
"Energy choices and usage will define Myanmar's future," said Oo. “We are working to facilitate a $10 billion investment in the renewable energy sector and it is essential we lead by example.”
Showing not telling
WWF needs to illustrate its renewable energy and energy efficiency work through its own efforts, using offices as demonstration and education sites for policy makers and students. In additional solar installation and energy efficiency will stabilize electricity costs for the next 20 years – important for any organisation but essential for non-profits.
WWF-Myanmar also hopes to take part in the solar office initiative which aims to run essential equipment via solar power and is looking to raise the US$20-25k needed.
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For more details on the WWF UPFRONT: Solar and Energy Efficient Office Initiative - contact: Jean-Philippe Denruyter (WWF Greater Mekong/WWF International): jpdenruyter@wwf.panda.org
For more details on Myanmar's Electricity Vision contact: Shoon So Oo (WWF-Myanmar): shoon.sooo@wwfgreatermekong.org
