Clean Energy Ministerial 2: Progress Updates on GSEP Program

By: Julia Sendor

Ministers and senior officials from 23 countries and the European Commission convened in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for the second Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM2) on April 6-7, 2011. One of the central discussion points focused smart policies for energy efficiency in each nation’s economy. Market and energy consumption data presented at the Ministerial reflect that energy efficiency standards not only increase energy savings but do so without raising product costs.

The 2011 CEM provided participants with updates on the ongoing development of the Ministerial’s 11 key initiatives. The Global Superior Energy Performance (GSEP) initiative, under the Clean Energy Ministerial Global Energy Efficiency Challenge, gained two new members. Denmark and Finland joined the initial roster of 11 other countries in improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in large commercial and industrial facilities.

In addition to the Certification, Steel and Power working groups that were established in 2010, the Ministerial announced the creation of three more: Cool Roofs and Pavement (led by the United States), Cement (led by Japan) and Combined Heat and Power (led by Finland). While these groups have not yet been formally launched, the leading members are recruiting both public- and private-sector participants.

Plans for summer 2011 include initial training of companies in the Certification Working Group to start measuring their baselines, to set goals for energy performance improvements and to implement the ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard.

The third Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM3) will be held in London, England, in 2012. India announced that they would host the CEM4 in 2013; Korea will host CEM5 in 2014.