Danish Management Group is this week showcasing its regional energy-efficiency network, as it carries out a study tour of demand-side management (DSM) programs spanning Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. The tour began on 22 October, when Mr. Monthon Kumpensath of Danish Management Group Thailand picked up the Lao delegates in Vientiane, Laos. The group then proceeded to Hanoi, Vietnam, where they were met at the airport by Senior Consultant Mr. Peter du Pont and enjoyed a day of meetings with Vietnamese officials.

On Wednesday 27 October, the group completes its business in Thailand, and this evening, the delegates were accompanied to Malaysia, where Senior Consultant Mr. Lars Østergaard and Malaysia Country Manager Mr. Henrik Rytter will lead two days of meetings with the Energy Commission and related implementing agencies and stakeholders.

The Lao delegates with their hosts from Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), outside EVN headquarters in Hanoi.

The project beneficiary is the Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts in Lao PDR, which is just beginning to assess and plan energy efficiency (EE) and demand-side management (DSM) programs. Electricity demand in Lao PDR is quite low – about 280 MW, but projected to grow to 900 MW by 2020.

The purpose of the study tour is to expose the Lao delegation to both theory and practice in energy efficiency and demand-side management (EE/DSM) and help prepare Electricite du Laos (EdL) and the Lao Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts (MIH) to undertake their forthcoming responsibilities for conducting policy development, program planning and implementation in DSM and EE. As a follow-up to this study tour, it is expected that the Global Environment Facility (GEF) will in the beginning fo 2005 fund a longer-term technical assistance effort for EE/DSM in Lao PDR. After this successful study tour, Danish Energy Management should be in a good position for tendering on the larger scale DSM project that will begin sometime next year. 

Learning about DSM in Vietnam. Left to right: Mr. Maypeth Phonphila of Electricite du Laos; Mr. Monthon Kumpengsath and Mr. Peter du Pont of Danish Management Group Thailand; Mr. Trinh Ngoc Khanh of EVN; and Mr. Khamso Kouphokham, of the Lao Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts, leader of the Lao delegation. 

At the Ministry of Industry in Hanoi. Left to right: Ms. Thoa, Danish Energy Management’s local consultant on the Phase 2 DSM Project; Mr. Kim and Mr. Hiep of MOI; a coordination from the Department of International Cooperation.