Minister chairs energy meeting

Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr. Abdulhussain Mirza chaired the fifth meeting of the National Committee to follow up the implementation of the energy efficiency plan and renewable energy plan.

Members of the committee consisting of 14 senior officials in several ministries and government agencies attended.

The minister thanked Bahrain’s wise leadership for their interest in encouraging the use of clean energy for comprehensive sustainable development. He then presented a detailed plan for implementing the initiatives and programmes assigned to all participants in the National Energy Efficiency Plan (NEEAP) and the National Renewable Energy Plan (NREAP).

The meeting also reviewed a government decision, represented by the Coordinating Committee chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, held on November 16 last year on the net measurement policy for renewable energy initiatives and its implementation next year.

The committee also reviewed the latest developments and achievements of the subcommittee on the work of the Green Public Procurement Initiative, which is currently considering the amendment of some items to oblige government agencies to take into account the commitment of contractors and suppliers to energy efficiency standards and use of environmentally friendly materials.

During the meeting, the members of the committee and the heads of the technical teams responsible also reported on the follow-up of the various national energy efficiency and renewable energy projects - in particular the latest developments in the issuance of central cooling regulations, green buildings, waste to energy and other follow-up Under the National Energy Efficiency Plan (NEEAP).

These include building an efficiency code, lighting and home appliances specifications, the green buildings initiative, efficiency classification of buildings, specifications of air conditioning, cooling of areas and creation of competencies from the field.

For the supply of electricity, it includes efficiency of electricity production, the correction of load coefficient, the efficiency of transmission and distribution of electricity, and smart meters.

For energy efficiency, from the government side, this includes lighting in government buildings, green government procurement, street lighting and energy management in government buildings.

For the national economic sectors, this includes legislative structure, dissemination of information and data.

In the transport sector, it includes efficiency of transportation and restructuring of government support while in the industrial sector, it includes programmes of industrial companies to raise energy efficiency.

The National Renewable Energy Plan (NREAP) includes six initiatives:

These include solar panels on rooftops, wind power projects on land and at sea, major solar power plant projects, solar home installation requirements and new projects (housing and investment projects), renewable energy requirements in new infrastructure projects such as bridges and railways ferrous metals and power generation of organic materials extracted from wastewater.

The minister thanked the government for its unlimited support for sustainable energy efforts and the work of the National Committee to follow up the implementation of national plans for energy efficiency and renewable energy. 

He also thanked the members of the committee for their effective participation, detailed reports and constructive suggestions.