EMAK
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Canada
People’s Republic of China
Germany
Russian Federation
Japan
* Led by Japan. Operating agent: Energy Conservation Center- Japan
Argentina is the second-largest country in South America by land area and the fourth-largest lithium producer. The government has implemented wide-ranging energy efficiency policies in industry, transport and buildings.
While 26% of Argentina’s power generation comes from hydropower, wind, and solar, the country is also rich in oil and gas.
Standards and labelling programmes for key appliances are in place and buildings constructed with national funds must meet energy performance standards.
Argentina is represented on the Hub’s Steering Committee by the Secretaría de Energía under the Ministry of Economy, participates in several Task Groups, and contributes to the Hub’s Policy Exchange Workshops.
Australia is among the world’s largest countries by land area, with abundant fossil and renewable energy resources. The country has enacted extensive energy efficiency policies in multiple sectors.
Australia has abundant energy resources, and while oil products account for more than half of total energy consumption, the country is transforming its energy sector while fostering reliability and security of supply.
Energy performance standards for buildings and appliances are supported through a variety of programmes such as grants for businesses. Policies vary across states, with some pursuing net-zero objectives.
Australia is represented by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. It participates in several Task Groups as well as in the Hub’s Policy Exchange Workshops.
Brazil is the fifth-largest country in the world by area and the largest energy consumer in South America. It has long-standing national energy efficiency policies, including utility-funded programmes for consumers and appliance energy standards and labels.
Renewables meet 45% of Brazil’s primary energy demand, making the energy sector one of the least carbon-intensive in the world. Hydropower accounts for around 80% of electricity generation.
Key policy mechanisms include building codes, standards for space cooling equipment and measures promoting energy management systems.
Brazil is represented on the Hub’s Steering Committee by the Ministério de Minas e Energia, participates in all Task Groups, and contributes to the Hub’s Policy Exchange Workshops.
Canada is the second-largest country in the world in area and has an abundance of energy resources. An ambitious national clean energy agenda aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40-45% by 2030, compared to 2005.
With robust reserves of oil and natural gas, Canada is an energy exporter. Sectoral energy demand is divided roughly equally between industry, transport, and buildings. Oil supplies nearly half of the nation’s energy consumption, followed by natural gas and electricity.
The country’s policy measures include, among others, a plan to transform the buildings sector through updated building codes and funding for new energy-efficient buildings.
Canada is represented on the Hub’s Steering Committee by Natural Resources Canada, participates in several Task Groups, and participates in the Hub’s Policy Exchange Workshops.
China is the world’s most populous country currently and fourth-largest in area. To reconcile energy and development goals, it is developing clean energy and has vigorously pursued energy efficiency policies for several decades.
China aims to transition its economy to a less carbon- and energy-intensive model. While coal and oil dominate energy supply, policies emphasise renewable and nuclear electricity and cleaner, efficient technologies.
The country has many energy efficiency programmes, including building, equipment and appliance energy performance standards and labels, and the Top 10,000 scheme requiring industrial firms to set targets for and invest in energy efficiency.
China is represented on the Hub’s Steering Committee by the National Development & Reform Commission, leads the TOP TENs Task Group, participates in several Task Groups, and contributes to the Hub’s Policy Exchange Workshops.
Germany has the largest economy in Europe, and is a leader in energy policy and technology. The government has implemented a wide variety of standards and initiatives promoting energy efficiency across all sectors.
Germany imports two-thirds of its energy, and while most energy is provided by fossil fuels, renewable energy sources are rapidly becoming a larger share.
The national strategy for transitioning to a low-carbon economy, Energiewende, includes many energy efficiency measures, such as requiring large companies to conduct energy audits and enacting energy-efficient standards for appliances and buildings.
Germany is represented on the Hub’s Steering Committee by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, participates in all Task Groups, and contributes to the Hub’s Policy Exchange Workshops.
Russia, stretching across Europe and Asia, is the world’s largest country by size and a leading global exporter of energy. The country’s Energy Agency is responsible for the country’s energy efficiency policy measures.
Russia is the world’s second-largest producer of natural gas and its largest exporter, and a leading oil exporter.
The country has created a legal and institutional framework to enhance efficient energy use. The Energy Strategy of Russia, adopted in 2009 includes a number of regional energy efficiency measures.
Russia participates in Task Groups and in the Hub’s Policy Exchange Workshops.
Japan is an island country with the third-largest economy in the world. It relies heavily on imports of fossil fuels, has a high share of nuclear power in its electricity mix, and has been a global leader in energy efficiency for decades.
In recent years, Japan has become increasingly reliant on imports of oil, coal, and natural gas, which together account for 88% of Japan’s energy consumption.
The country has long-standing national policies and measures to foster energy efficiency. These include voluntary actions for industry (like the Top Runner Programme), vehicles and appliances. Standards are in place for products, vehicles, and industrial sectors.
Japan is represented on the Hub’s Steering Committee by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, leads the EMAK Task Group, participates in all Task Groups, and contributes to the Hub’s Policy Exchange Workshops.
EMAK promotes improvement of energy efficiency and energy savings in the industrial and buildings sectors. EMAK supports Hub Members to ensure that good practices developed by Members are shared with each other and with emerging economies.
Annual workshops focusing on energy management systems bring together relevant networks among policy makers and energy managers to:
EMAK was established in 2009 and has been led by Japan since its establishment.
The Task Group broadly focuses on the industry and the buildings sectors.
Stricter management standards, energy intensity benchmarks and further introduction of the “internet of things” (IoT, or internet-enabled devices) can further support energy reduction in industry. There is a need for more advanced energy management in the buildings sector through the design, operation, and renovation stages, taking into account the improvement of energy efficiency and the introduction of renewable energy.
“Industry and commercial buildings cover over 50% of global energy use. By increasing uptake of energy management systems, the energy productivity of energy-intensive industrial processes and firms can be improved and bring about large energy and GHG savings.”
G20 Energy Efficiency Leading Programme 2016
EMAK was featured in the G20 Energy Efficiency Leading Programme in 2016 as a key activity to reduce energy-intensity in the industrial sector by establishing and enhancing energy management systems and related policy and legal frameworks.
EMAK has built a platform for promoting concrete energy efficiency solutions, organising 14 events, 11 of which were international conferences. As a result, EMAK produced six summary reports and a number of additional supporting presentations and videos. EMAK also built and integrated the two groups’ networks, policy makers and practitioners, concerning the promotion of best practice policies for energy management and day to day energy efficiency improvement.
Eleven of those events were international conferences listed below:
EMAK also built and integrated the two groups’ networks, namely one comprised of policy makers responsible for promoting best practice policies for energy management and the other consisted of the practitioners actually practicing energy management day to day and improving efficiency in the industry.
Energy management is a process of planning, monitoring and controlling of energy production, consumption, distribution and storage in industry and buildings. Effective energy management results in multiple direct and indirect benefits: in energy cost savings, resource conservation, and reduction of greenhouse gases.
Benefits of systematic energy management:
Key Energy Management actions:
Workshop 12
The 2022 energy crisis underscored the importance of demand-side policies and solutions, to achieve carbon neutrality and energy security and to alleviate the impact of high prices on consumers and businesses. This workshop brought together policy makers and private sector leaders to discuss demand-side energy policies and approaches for the industrial and buildings sectors. Participants discussed heat pump deployment, smart meter rollout, demand response, electrification, fuel switching, grid flexibility, and digitalisation policies. Learn more about the workshop.
Agenda:
Presentations available upon request:
Report:
Workshop 11
This workshop highlighted policies related to energy efficiency and conservation in the buildings sector and best practices on realistic energy-efficient buildings including step-by-step approach to building and renovating net-zero energy buildings. Speakers discussed common challenges in implementing energy efficiency and conservation policies in buildings sector and how to overcome them through information, experiences and knowledge sharing. Learn more about the workshop.
Agenda:
Presentations available upon request:
Relevant Documents:
Report:
Workshop 10
This workshop aimed to support improvement in energy efficiency of the industrial and commercial sectors, disseminate information on best practices in energy efficiency and energy savings in Vietnam, and share experience on promoting energy efficiency through legal frameworks and international cooperation.
Agenda:
Presentations available upon request:
Videos:
Report:
Workshop 9
The policy makers and energy managers who participated exchanged best practices in energy management systems and energy conservation. They discussed ways to improve energy management systems in the industrial and commercial sectors, to disseminate information on best practices, and to strengthen propagation of knowledge.
Agenda:
Presentations available upon request:
Videos:
Report:
Workshop 8
This workshop was a dialogue on global experience and trends energy management practices in the building and industry sectors. It explored the challenges and opportunities to advancing energy efficiency in Indonesia. Participants emphasised optimising practical approaches to energy management, investment mechanisms, and best practices for project implementation.
Presentations available upon request:
Videos:
Report:
Workshop 7
Workshop participants learned about and shared experience in designing and implementing energy efficiency policies and energy service companies (ESCOs) in Russia and other countries, and discussed domestic and international dialogue and capacity building for energy efficiency measures.
Presentations available upon request:
Video:
Workshop 6
This workshop provided an opportunity to learn about and share experience in implementing policies and programmes for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Participants discussed innovative ways of financing projects, identifying technical opportunities to reuse waste heat in industrial organisations, initiating and developing networks, and strengthening dialogue and capacity-building.
Presentations available upon request:
Videos:
Report:
Workshop 5
This workshop spotlighted the role of industry associations in accelerating energy efficiency in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and investigated opportunities and challenges in raising energy efficiency in the sector. Participants also discussed best practices for information and training materials, SME experiences, and international capacity building efforts aimed at SMEs.
Presentations available upon request:
Report:
Workshop 4
Participants in this workshop shared practice and experience in industrial energy efficiency. Japan shared their experience in recovering from the electricity crisis resulting from the Great East Japan Earthquake, which spurred intensified efforts to curb energy consumption and to deploy energy management systems more widely.
Introduction:
Presentations available upon request:
Workshop 3
This workshop concentrated on energy management practices for the iron and steel, cement, and petrochemical industries. It also covered: energy management practices for small and medium enterprises, such as energy service companies; different practices across industrial sectors; and differences in national approaches.
Agenda:
Presentations available upon request:
Workshop 2
This workshop focused on sharing practical experience around the world with energy managements systems, and featured a special session on ISO 50001. Participants exchanged on a wide variety of topics, including business and government cooperation on energy management, implementation of initiatives, and policy networking.
Agenda:
Presentations available upon request:
Workshop 1
This was the first workshop of the Energy Management Action Network (EMAK) Task Group, bringing together policy makers and energy managers to exchange best practices in energy management, and to discuss the design of EMAK. The themes addressed during the workshop included energy management frameworks, the role of human resources in building energy management systems, and the institutions involved in energy management and information sharing schemes.
Agenda:
Presentations available upon request:
